Electron beam melting of Ti6Al4V: Role of the process parameters under the same energy density

The role of the process parameters under a fixed energy density in Electron Beam Melting of Ti6Al4V was investigated. The beam current, scan speed and line offset were varied in a wide range keeping constant the energy density achieved, aiming to highlight the influence of each parameter on the properties of the printed parts. Microstructure, microhardness and top surface roughness were chosen as measured output. The results obtained showed that the amount of energy adsorbed by the metal is depending on beam current and scan speed, this due to the complex interaction between the electrons of the beam and the atoms of the material. As a consequence, the samples showed different properties, even if the adopted energy density was the same, the influence of the process parameters on the above-mentioned measured output was assessed.