DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH STRENGTH ALUMINIUM ALLOYS FOR SLM

There is a growing demand for lightweight aluminium components to be fabricated using additive manufacturing. However, these alloys used for selective laser melting (SLM) typically achieve mediocre mechanical properties, which can vary considerably depending on build-orientation, SLM parameters and post heat treatment parameters.

The aim of the Hub’s research is to develop a new generation of high-performance aluminium alloys specifically for SLM, that will achieve exceptional mechanical properties at both room temperature and elevated temperatures.

The Hub has been investigating the microstructure and property evolutions of a wide range of additively manufactured aluminium‐based alloys. This includes exploratory studies on a new class of Aluminium and Scandium alloys that are particularly well suited to SLM. Their high cooling rates facilitate increased precipitation hardening, while the alloy also resists columnar grain formation and results in a high-volume fraction of micron‐scale equiaxed grains.

Preliminary work has been conducted on the development of new Aluminium alloys, specifically for additive manufacturing, which can operate at 250°C (>100°C higher than the current Aluminium alloys).