Heat treatment and tensile test of 3D-printed parts manufactured at different build orientations

Additive manufacturing has been gaining popularity in many industries and has made significant growth over the last 5 years. Many industries use additive manufacturing three-dimensional (3D) printing to produce complex shape objects that is a challenge to be manufactured by casting or conventional methods. In this study, the impact of heat treatment and build orientation is examined for the mechanical characteristics of 3D-printed parts. The study used samples constructed of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V, which is frequently used in AM applications. The parts were printed at various build orientations such as 0°, 45°, and 90°. Following printing, the samples underwent four distinct heat-treatments at 0, 700, 800, and 900°C. The variation in mechanical properties (Young's modulus, strain-stress, and tensile strength) has been monitored to determine the best heat treatment and tilt orientation to obtain the best mechanical properties. These findings provide a systematic analysis and support the 3D printing of the parts used with a desired mechanical strength.