Characterization and Mechanical Properties of As-Built SLM Ti-6Al-4V subjected to surface mechanical post-treatment

The Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process induces tensile residual stresses that impact negatively on the mechanical characteristics of the material. In literature, the well-known solution to overcome this issue is a post-process heat treatment. However, this solution is usually accompanied by a loss of the mechanical properties. Therefore, the aim of this investigation is to study the heat treatment impact and a Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment on several characteristics. Different samples were characterized using several experimental observations such as surface roughness, micro-tensile testing, micro-hardness profiles, and X-ray diffraction. The results show beneficial impacts of SMAT on the As-Built SLM Ti-6Al-4V.