| Abstract Scope |
Additive manufacturing, particularly LPBF, is vital to Industry 4.0, enabling high-precision part production across aerospace, biomedical, and manufacturing sectors. This layer-by-layer technology improves material properties over conventional methods, especially in high-performance alloys like titanium and steel. Al 7xxx alloys offer low density and high-specific strength yet face LPBF challenges such as hot cracking and porosity due to rapid solidification and thermal gradients. This study presents a computational and experimental framework to enhance Al 7xxx LPBF processibility via compositional modification. Using CALPHAD, printable Al 7xxx compositions were designed with V, Ti, and Mg additions to enable grain refinement and eutectic solidification. Subsequent LPBF/SLM experiments and characterization tests, such as metallography (SEM), SEM, EDS, XRD, and micro-CT scan, confirmed the production of refined microstructures with reduced porosity. This work supports the Materials Genome Initiative’s goal to accelerate materials development, promoting crack-free, high-quality Al 7xxx components through an integrated computational materials engineering approach. |