On the capability of grain refinement during selective laser melting of AlSi10Mg alloy

This work focuses on the origin and capability of grain refinement in the microstructure of selective laser-melted AlSi10Mg alloy. The grains in printed microstructure have been oriented in a random manner and there is no sign of preferred micro-texture. In the molten pool, columnar grains have been formed aligned with the building direction, and stretched toward the center of the molten pool. The fraction of refined equiaxed grains by the size of fewer than 10 μm is considerable (∼40%) which have been formed (i) during solidification owing to high solidification rate to thermal gradient ratio, or due to (ii) the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization during the manufacturing process after completion of the solidification. These refined equiaxed grains have been differentiated through plotting Grain Orientation Spread maps. The numerous thermal cycles experienced by each layer cause considerable tensile or compressive micro-plastic strains and give rise to dynamic recrystallization. The presence of incomplete grains can be clearly traced which are ready to be evolved into the recrystallized grains. This, besides the extensive substructure development and sub-grain formation, are main proof for governing of continuous mechanisms of recrystallization mechanisms. Finally, selective laser melting has been approached as a thermomechanical processing route, and the calculated micro-plastic strain has been compared with a critical strain of dynamic recrystallization obtained from the hot compression testing method.