Study of surface roughness change of AlSi10Mg based on selective laser melting (SLM) using electro-polishing technique

Abstract

Selective laser melting (SLM) offers an innovative manufacturing approach compared to traditional methods. It has found diverse applications in various fields, ranging from medical devices to aerospace, using a variety of metals. However, products manufactured with the metal AlSi10Mg using the SLM technique have a significant surface roughness defect. Consequently, products produced through SLM necessitate post-processing. In this study, electro-polishing was conducted on AlSi10Mg specimens manufactured at four different inclinations. Surface roughness measurements and 3D scans were performed at various time intervals to observe changes in roughness. It was observed that an increase in electro-polishing time effectively reduced surface roughness. This research provides data on post-processing for three-dimensional structures manufactured using the SLM technique.