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SURFACE ROUGHNESS

Understanding the mechanism applicable to controlling surface roughness.

The Hub has been investigating a growing range of processing methods and process-related issues. The surface roughness of Titanium and Nickel alloys have been studied in order to understand mechanisms, with respect to the formation of surface roughness, and to obtain optimum processing conditions to achieve the smoothest surface.

The key mechanisms controlling surface finish during Selective Laser Melting (SLM), have been thoroughly explored via two Hub related PhD projects at Monash: one on Hastelloy X and one on Ti64.

In addition, the Hub has developed a novel chemical polishing process to improve the surface finish for Ti alloys, demonstrating that the surface roughness could be reduced to a level comparable to that of machining and mechanical polishing.