MACHINABILITY AND REMOVAL MECHANISM OF METAL-BASED SUPPORT STRUCTURES IN SELECTIVE LASER MELTING

Abstract

In selective laser melting (SLM), additional support structures play a critical role in the successful printing. However, support structures are not part of the final products, and all the support structures must be removed after printing. Despite its necessity, the removal of metal-based support structures is a tough task. In particular, a large number of support structures increase the difficulty of removal. In order to remove the metal-based support structures effectively, mechanical post-processing can be employed to facilitate the automatic removal with higher efficiency. To date, few research works have been found in this area and little is known about machinability and removal mechanism. In this thesis, a systematic study to unveil the machinability and removal mechanism of metal-based support structures is presented. A prediction model is established to reveal the underlying principles of support structures during the removal process, and to predict the damage of the workpiece.