Electron Backscattered Diffraction to Estimate Residual Stress Levels of a Superalloy Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion and Subsequent Heat Treatments.

Metal Additive Manufacturing and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), in particular, have come forth in recent years as an outstanding innovative manufacturing approach. The LPBF process is notably characterized by very high solidification and cooling rates, as well as repeated abrupt heating and cooling cycles, which generate the build-up of anisotropic microstructure and residual stresses. Post-processing stress-relieving heat treatments at elevated temperatures are often required in order to release some of these stresses.