Surface Integrity of Inconel 738LC Parts Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting Followed by High-speed Milling

Abstract This study is concerned with the surface integrity of Inconel 738LC parts manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) followed by high-speed milling (HSM). In the investigation process of surface integrity, the study employs ultra-depth three-dimensional microscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffractometry, and energy dispersive spectroscopy to characterize the evolution of material microstructure, work hardening, residual stress coupling, and anisotropic effect of the building direction on surface integrity of the samples. The results show that SLM/HSM hybrid manufacturing can be an effective method to obtain better surface quality with a thinner machining metamorphic layer. High-speed machining is adopted to reduce cutting force and suppress machining heat, which is an effective way to produce better surface mechanical properties during the SLM/HSM hybrid manufacturing process. In general, high-speed milling of the SLM-built Inconel 738LC samples offers better surface integrity, compared to simplex additive manufacturing or casting.