Understanding the Effect of Electron Beam Melting Scanning Strategies on the Aluminum Content and Materials State of Single Ti-6Al-4V Feedstock

Research on the additive manufacturing of metals often neglects any characterization of the composition of final parts, erroneously assuming a compositional homogeneity that matches the feedstock material. Here, the composition of electron-beam-melted Ti-6Al-4V produced through three distinct scanning strategies (linear raster and two point melting strategies, random fill and Dehoff fill) is characterized both locally and globally through energy-dispersive spectroscopy and quantitative chemical analysis. As a result of the different scanning strategies used, differing levels of preferential vaporization occur across the various parts, leading to distinct final compositions, with extremes of ~5.8 wt.% Al and ~4.8 wt.% Al. In addition, energy-dispersive spectroscopy composition maps reveal specific features in both the XY and XZ planes (with Z being the build direction) as a result of local inhomogeneous preferential vaporization. The subsequent change in composition significantly modifies the materials’ state of parts, wherein parts and local regions with higher aluminum contents lead to higher hardness levels (with a ~50 HV difference) and elastic property values and vice versa. While varying scan strategies and scan parameters are known to modify the microstructure and properties of a part, the effect on composition cannot, and should not, be neglected.