Research and Optimization of Surface Roughness in Milling of SLM Semi-Finished Parts Manufactured by Using the Different Laser Scanning Speed

The paper studies the potential to improve the surface roughness in parts manufactured in the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process by using additional milling. The studied process was machining of samples made of the AlSi10Mg alloy powder. The simultaneous impacts of the laser scanning speed of the SLM process and the machining parameters of the milling process (such as the feed rate and milling width) on the surface roughness were analyzed. A mathematical model was created as a basis for optimizing the parameters of the studied processes and for selecting the sets of optimum solutions. As a result of the research, surface with low roughness (Ra = 0.14 μm, Rz = 1.1 μm) was obtained after the face milling. The performed milling allowed to reduce more than 20-fold the roughness of the SLM sample surfaces. The feed rate and the cutting width increase resulted in the surface roughness deterioration. Some milled surfaces were damaged by the chip adjoining to the rake face of the cutting tool back tooth.