Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting
The addition of support structures is essential for the successful fabrication of overhang structures through additive manufacturing (AM). The support structures protect the overhang portion from distortions. They are fabricated with the functional parts and are removed later after the fabrication o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Metals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/9/11/1211 |
| _version_ | 1819085285545213952 |
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| author | Wadea Ameen Muneer Khan Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari |
| author_facet | Wadea Ameen Muneer Khan Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari |
| author_sort | Wadea Ameen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The addition of support structures is essential for the successful fabrication of overhang structures through additive manufacturing (AM). The support structures protect the overhang portion from distortions. They are fabricated with the functional parts and are removed later after the fabrication of the AM part. While structures bearing insufficient support result in defective overhangs, structures with excessive support result in higher material consumption, time and higher post-processing costs. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of design and process parameters of support structures on support removability during the electron beam melting (EBM)-based additive manufacturing of the Ti6Al4V overhang part. The support design parameters include tooth parameters, no support offset, fragmentation parameters and perforation parameters. The EBM process parameters consist of beam current, beam scan speed and beam focus offset. The results show that both support design and process parameters have a significant effect on support removability. In addition, with the appropriate selection of design and process parameters, it is possible to significantly reduce the support removal time and protect the surface quality of the part. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:01:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-68a850723e0c4c4b9a698ed4453c0921 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T21:01:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Metals |
| spelling | doaj.art-68a850723e0c4c4b9a698ed4453c09212022-12-21T18:50:26ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012019-11-01911121110.3390/met9111211met9111211Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam MeltingWadea Ameen0Muneer Khan Mohammed1Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari2Industrial Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh P.O. Box 800-Riyadh 11421, Saudi ArabiaRaytheon Chair for Systems Engineering (RCSE Chair), Advanced Manufacturing Institute, King Saud University, Riyadh P.O. Box 800-Riyadh 11421, Saudi ArabiaIndustrial Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh P.O. Box 800-Riyadh 11421, Saudi ArabiaThe addition of support structures is essential for the successful fabrication of overhang structures through additive manufacturing (AM). The support structures protect the overhang portion from distortions. They are fabricated with the functional parts and are removed later after the fabrication of the AM part. While structures bearing insufficient support result in defective overhangs, structures with excessive support result in higher material consumption, time and higher post-processing costs. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of design and process parameters of support structures on support removability during the electron beam melting (EBM)-based additive manufacturing of the Ti6Al4V overhang part. The support design parameters include tooth parameters, no support offset, fragmentation parameters and perforation parameters. The EBM process parameters consist of beam current, beam scan speed and beam focus offset. The results show that both support design and process parameters have a significant effect on support removability. In addition, with the appropriate selection of design and process parameters, it is possible to significantly reduce the support removal time and protect the surface quality of the part.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/9/11/1211additive manufacturingsupport structureselectron beam meltingsupport structure removability |
| spellingShingle | Wadea Ameen Muneer Khan Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Ahmari Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting Metals additive manufacturing support structures electron beam melting support structure removability |
| title | Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting |
| title_full | Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting |
| title_short | Evaluation of Support Structure Removability for Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V Overhangs via Electron Beam Melting |
| title_sort | evaluation of support structure removability for additively manufactured ti6al4v overhangs via electron beam melting |
| topic | additive manufacturing support structures electron beam melting support structure removability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/9/11/1211 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wadeaameen evaluationofsupportstructureremovabilityforadditivelymanufacturedti6al4voverhangsviaelectronbeammelting AT muneerkhanmohammed evaluationofsupportstructureremovabilityforadditivelymanufacturedti6al4voverhangsviaelectronbeammelting AT abdulrahmanalahmari evaluationofsupportstructureremovabilityforadditivelymanufacturedti6al4voverhangsviaelectronbeammelting |