Hydrojet Surface Treatment of Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Produced by Additive Manufacturing

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of finishing methods on the surface quality of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy additively manufactured by selective laser melting. It was observed that among the finishing methods, water jet treatment did not produce significant changes, while the abrasive water jet proved effective in removing defects and smoothing the surface, especially at a pressure of 30 MPa. However, the risk of abrasive particle entrapment in the material was observed. Promising results were also obtained using the water–ice jet, which combines effective material removal with surface smoothing. The selection of the finishing method should be tailored to the application requirements. Further research will focus on optimization and the combination of techniques to improve the functional properties of titanium components.