Bernd Schob
Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany
Title: Selective laser melting of a new medium manganese steel alloy for automotive industry
Biography
Biography: Bernd Schob
Abstract
In the last few years Additive Manufacturing has established itself in many branches of business. Especially in the automotive industry, the technology of powder-based laser additive melting (LAM) is eminently suitable for the production of customized, high-performance lightweight parts and geometrically complex components. Currently the range of usable materials is limited to a few titanium, nickel, aluminium, cobalt-chromium alloys, as well as some stainless steels and tool steels. Therefore, development of new powder alloys for the LAM - process is required. Medium manganese steel alloys are distinguished materials due to adjustable mechanical properties, such as high strength and significant ductility, which are beneficial for automotive applications. However, the comparatively difficult processing of a medium manganese steel is bounded by the resulting densities, among other limitations.
The aim of the work was to develop suitable and robust LAM process parameters for medium manganese steel combined with heat treatment to create microstructures that possess advanced mechanical properties.
During the development, material densities of approx. 99.98 % could be achieved (Figure 1). The mechanical investigations are determined by static load in the second step.
Due to the processing of the new manganese steel alloy and the resulting mechanical properties, new application potentials can be realised e.g. in automotive future body-in-whites structures.