Enabling tailored microstructures by hybrid directed energy deposition processing of a nickel-based superalloy

The technological advances in additive manufacturing, particularly laser based directed energy deposition (DED), revolutionized the production of complex metal components. Despite this progress, the oriented heat flux and several reheating thermal cycles can induce a strongly textured microstructure, which induces an anisotropic mechanical behavior. In addition, considerable residual stresses typically require additional post-processing. Therefore, hybrid process chains for additive manufacturing (AM) are being developed, which aim at integrating conventional post-processing into the AM process. However, a detailed investigation of thermal and mechanical effects of such hybrid processes on the mechanical properties and their interrelation is lacking. In an experimental study, we explore the integration of thermal and mechanical processing steps within the DED process chain to locally tailor microstructures and mechanical properties. Through electron backscatter diffraction measurements, we demonstrate significant microstructural changes of DED-manufactured nickel-based superalloy samples using deep rolling and laser heat treatment. A mechanical surface deformation induces microstructural misorientation leading to an increase in hardness down to substantial depth of several hundred micrometers. Additionally, the targeted management of heat input during laser heat treatment results in different grain morphologies and sizes, affecting average microhardness within a significant depth. The results demonstrate the potential for microstructural tailoring using hybrid AM process chains, while a substantial sensitivity of the microstructure to thermal and mechanical load emphasizes the importance of a precise process control. This work provides an understanding of the process-microstructure-property relationship required for developing new process pathways in hybrid AM that integrate thermal and mechanical processes into DED manufacturing.