Effect of microstructure, residual stresses and building orientation on the fatigue response up to 109 cycles of an SLM AlSi10Mg alloy

It is well-known in the literature that the fatigue response of specimens produced through Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes is mainly controlled by the defect population. Nevertheless, microstructure, residual stresses and building orientation must be considered as they may also play a significant role. In the present paper, the influence of microstructure, residual stresses and building orientation on the Very-High-Cycle-Fatigue (VHCF) response of SLM AlSi10Mg specimens has been experimentally assessed. Ultrasonic tests on AlSI10Mg specimens with different building orientations and subjected to different heat treatments showed that, together with the defect size, microstructure and residual stresses significantly affect the VHCF response.