An exploratory analysis on laser polishing of components by laser powder directed energy deposition

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is one of the most challenging metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes on the market, still one of its main drawbacks is the poor surface characteristic. Laser polishing is an emerging technique for surface finishing of AM components, that can be easily integrated in laser powder directed energy deposition (LP-DED). Laser polishing can be used for reaching inner parts of complex shaped component during LP-DED production. In this study, an exploratory analysis on the most significant parameters involved in the laser finishing process is performed, providing a robust base for further optimization studies in the field.