Influence of Deposition Parameters on Hardness Properties of InconelTM 718 Processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion for Space Applications

InconelTM 718 is widely used for commercial application in aerospace industry and additive manufacturing process allows for versatile design and manufacturing opportunities. In the present research, the results of a wide experimental campaign run on additive manufactured InconelTM 718 specimens obtained with different processing parameters are presented. In particular, the influence of process parameters (for both vertical and horizontal planes with respect to the building direction) on the hardness properties are investigated. A further investigation is performed on the optimal hardness testing procedure for additive manufacturing. The research is extended to as-built and heat-treated specimens. The new insight gained is that the orientation of the printing direction with respect to indentation direction can be responsible for scattering in hardness measurements and indentation size effect. As-built specimens show a strong anisotropy for in-plane and growth directions and an increment of hardness with respect to increasing energy density. The difference between hardness value with respect to the energy density and the measurements scattering are reduced by the heat treatment. A careful handling of hardness data is required when dealing with additive manufactured materials.