Investigation the Effect of Particle Size Distribution on Processing Parameters Optimisation in Selective Laser Melting Process

Selective Laser Melting is an efficient process for producing metal parts with minimal subtractive post-processing required. Analysis of the parameters controlling the part quality has been performed focussing on the energy intensity during processing and the effect of the particle size distribution on factors such as ultimate tensile strength and surface finish. It is shown that the controlling the energy intensity is key to quality and can be affected by varying, for example, laser beam diameter or the scanning rate.