The Boeing Company

Christopher A Meyer

James D Cotton

Arash Ghabchi

Matthew J Crill

Examples for refining the microstructure of metallic materials used for additive manufacturing are described herein. An example can involve generating a first layer of an integral object by heating a metallic material to a molten state such that the metallic material includes a solid-liquid interface. The example can further involve applying an electromagnetic field or vibrations to the metallic material of the first layer. In some instances, the electromagnetic fields or vibrations perturb the first layer of metallic material causing nucleation sites to form at the solid-liquid interface of the metallic material in the molten state. The example also includes generating a second layer coupled to the first layer of the integral object. Generating the second layer increases a number of nucleation sites at the solid-liquid interface of the metallic material in the molten state. Each nucleation site can grows a crystal at a spatially-random orientation.

Microstructure refinement methods by melt pool stirring for additive manufactured materials

Example implementations relate to techniques for refining the microstructure of metallic materials used for additive manufacturing. An example can involve generating a first layer of an integral object using a material with grains structured in a first arrangement. After a threshold duration occurs since generating the first layer, the example can involve applying an external force to the first layer to cause deformations in the first arrangement of grains. The example can further involve generating a second layer coupled to the first layer of the integral object to form a portion of the integral object. Generating the second layer of the integral object causes the material of the first layer to recrystallize new grains to replace grains proximate the deformations. The grains that result from recrystallization are structured in new arrangement that improves the physical and mechanical properties of the layer and subsequent layers collective.

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Christopher A Meyer