In a significant advancement for the aerospace and industrial sectors, Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) has recently unveiled its latest innovations in metal powder tailored for additive manufacturing. Leveraging its extensive research and development capabilities, BLT is launching new high-strength aluminum for Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion of Metals (PBF-LB/M) and BLT-Ti65 for Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion of Metals (PBF-LB/M) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes, providing comprehensive turnkey solutions that cater to the complex demands of modern manufacturing.
BLT-AlAM500 High-Strength Aluminum Alloy Boosts Industrial Manufacturing Quality
High-strength aluminum alloys are renowned for their exceptional strength, thermal stability, and superior processing performance. These materials are prominently used in the aerospace sector for aircraft structural components, and engine parts. Beyond aerospace, high-strength aluminum alloys are also essential in high-speed trains, lightweight automotive parts, and premium sports equipment. However, producing these alloys using Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion of Metals (PBF-LB/M) technology often presents challenges such as cracking and poor component density.
BLT has optimized the process parameters for high-strength aluminum alloys, overcoming the difficulties of manufacturing complex, large-sized components with integrated structures and achieving high yield rates. In May this year, leveraging its extensive manufacturing experience with high-strength aluminum alloy components, BLT launched the new high-strength aluminum alloy BLT-AlAM500, specifically designed for aerospace applications. At TCT Asia 2024, BLT showcased parts like the bent tube, ventilation duct, and connecting pipe made from this material.
Figure 1: The bent tube, ventilation duct, and connecting pipe printed in BLT-AlAM500
These components, characterized by thin-walled, irregularly shaped tubular structures with internal cavities, demand high precision and quality. Traditional manufacturing methods are complex, challenging, and costly. BLT optimized the design of these parts, using the high-strength aluminum alloy BLT-AlAM500 and the our Metal LPBF printing machine BLT-S400 for integrated manufacturing. Each part takes approximately 30 hours to form, achieving an average weight reduction of around 20%. The parts exhibit excellent shape control and meet internal quality requirements, providing valuable insights for significant weight reduction in civil aviation.
Post-heat treatment, the material achieves tensile strengths of 530-550 MPa, yield strengths of 480-500 MPa, and elongation rates of 11-17%. The material also boasts excellent fracture toughness and fatigue performance, with a room temperature fracture toughness of 30.8 MPa·m1/2 and a high-cycle fatigue strength of 245 MPa (smooth sample) at room temperature. Compared to similar imported powders, the BLT-AlAM500 material offers a cost reduction of about 40-50%, significantly lowering manufacturing costs.
Introducing BLT-Ti65 for Metal LPBF and DED Processes
Ti65 is a multi-component near-alpha high-temperature titanium alloy, maintaining excellent strength, plasticity, creep resistance, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability at temperatures up to 650°C. This performance far exceeds the limitations of traditional high-temperature titanium alloys, making Ti65 highly favored in aerospace, chemical equipment, and marine engineering applications.
Figure 2: BLT-Ti65
However, additive manufacturing of Ti65 powder often results in defects like unmelted or partially melted powder particles, inter-track and inter-layer porosity, and cracking, which can concentrate stress and increase the likelihood of material failure. To address these issues, BLT team developed the BLT-Ti65 powder suitable for Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion of Metals (PBF-LB/M) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes.
The nominal chemical composition of BLT-Ti65 is Ti-5.9Al-4Sn-3.5Zr-0.3Mo-0.4Si-0.3Nb-2.0Ta-1.0W-0.05C, available in 15-53μm (for PBF-LB/M) and 75-180μm (for DED). Post-heat treatment, parts produced with 15-53μm BLT-Ti65 powder can achieve yield strengths of 483-503 MPa, tensile strengths of 604-624 MPa, and elongation rates of 16.5%-26.5% at 650°C. Parts produced with 75-180μm BLT-Ti65 powder can achieve yield strengths of 478-538 MPa, tensile strengths of 588-648 MPa, and elongation rates of 22%-32% at 650°C. BLT demonstrated the capabilities of BLT-Ti65 in PBF-LB/M forming by producing a wing cabin sample part, exhibiting high density and no significant defects.
Figure 3: Integrated Display of Fuselage and Wing
BLT has overcome challenges such as cracking and deformation control in the BLT-Ti65 printing process. The company has developed viable process solutions and forming parameters applicable to all BLT equipment models, providing more possibilities for high-temperature titanium alloys in applications such as aerospace engine components and scientific experiments with new materials and structures.
By the end of 2023, BLT’s formable material portfolio included over 80 types, covering titanium alloys, high-temperature alloys, aluminum alloys, titanium-aluminum alloys, copper alloys, stainless steel, tool steel, high-strength steel, tantalum-tungsten alloys, silver, and hard alloys. BLT will continue to enhance its technical research and innovation capabilities to meet diverse material application needs across various industries, offering higher quality products and technical services to industrial customers.
