Properties of Aluminium Alloys Produced by Selective Laser Melting

Analysis of peculiar properties offered by Al alloys produced according to additive manufacturing techniques, specifically by Selective Laser Melting (SLM), is carried out. Two alloys are considered, derived by casting (AlSi10Mg) and by wrought (ENAW 2618) applications. The SLM processed samples are investigated considering their microstructural and mechanical properties after SLM and compared to cast and wrought counterparts. A strong microstructural refinement induced by SLM processing is observed for both alloys, resulting in excellent hardness properties. Investigation on integrity of samples revealed that small-size microvoids and unmelted regions could be present in SLM parts.