The Influence of Post-Heat-Treatments on the Tensile Strength and Surface Hardness of Selective Laser Melted AlSi10Mg

Recent investigations revealed major fluctuations in the material properties of selective laser melted AlSi10Mg, which corresponded with the varying precipitation-hardening state of the microstructure, caused by the differing dwell times at elevated temperatures. It was indicated that a subsequent heat treatment balances the age-hardening and results in a homogenized material strength. In order to further investigate this statement selective laser melted AlSi10Mg samples were subject to multiple post-heat-treatments. Subsequently, the surface hardness and tensile strength was determined and compared with the as-built results. The post-heat-treatment led to an arbitrary occurrence of rupture, indicating a successful homogenization, coupled with a remarkable improvement in ductility, but to the costs of a lowered tensile strength, which was highly dependent on the chosen heat-treatment procedure.