Investigations on Case Hardening of an Additive Manufactured Steel 20MnCr5 (via PBF-LB/M)

Abstract As an additive manufacturing process, powder bed fusion of metals using a laser beam (PBF-LB/M) enables the near-net-shape production of complex components in a single step. In combination with case hardening, it will thus be possible in the future to produce lightweight, functionally integrated transmission components characterized by high-strength surface layers with a sufficiently tough component core. However, the process-related new initial conditions resulting from very high solidification rates in PBF-LB/M may mean that case hardening of PBF-LB/M materials with standard parameters achieves different case hardening results than have been usual in the past. This hypothesis was investigated in the present work using the case hardening steel 20MnCr5 (material number 1.7147) after successful development of industry-relevant PBF-LB/M parameters. Besides the convincing results regarding microstructure, hardness and carbon depth profiles, case hardening with standard parameters led to irregular grain growth due to holding at high temperatures for several hours during carburization.