Understanding the effect of thermal treatments on the ductility of LBM AlSi10Mg

This communication reviews the additive manufacturing activities of the MMS Unit, University of Liège, with a particular focus on the study of post-processing treatments of Al alloy AlSi10Mg. Al alloy AlSi10Mg processed by Laser Beam Melting (LBM) exhibits a much finer microstructure than its cast counterpart due to the ultra-fast cooling rates imposed in the LBM process. One important consequence of this microstructural refinement is that a classical T6 age hardening heat treatment will not have the same effect on LBM AlSi10Mg when compared with cast AlSi10Mg. Indeed, a previous study by the present authors has shown that heat treating LBM AlSi10Mg at 510°C for 6 hours followed by a second isothermal hold at 170°C for 6 hours brought a marked improvement of the yield stress by 30% and of the elongation at break by 220%. However, this was achieved at the expense of a decrease in both hardness and ultimate tensile strength. A better understanding of the underlying phenomena is needed in order to optimize the heat treatment of LBM AlSi10Mg. The present work hence aims at investigating in more depth the mechanical and microstructural evolution induced upon heat treating LBM AlSi10Mg.