Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V alloy prepared by selective laser melting combined with precision forging

To improve the mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V alloy prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) process, the precision forging was conducted at 950 °C and different strains and strain rates. The microstructure evolution of as-built samples and forged samples in both horizontal and vertical sections was visualized and analyzed by optical microscope and X-ray diffraction. The microstructure was improved by the precision forging and subsequent water quenching. The porosity in each section was accounted. It can be seen that high strain rate and large deformation result in low porosity, consequently contributing to a better fatigue performance. The micro-hardness was lowered after precision forging and water quenching, while the difference of microhardness between the horizontal and vertical sections became smaller, which illustrated that this process can improve the anisotropy of structural components fabricated by SLM.