Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Powder Material: A Review

Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) has drawn increasing interest from enterprises because of its great advantages in additive manufacturing of metal, ceramic, and polymer materials. Although people pay more attention to L-PBF, many problems such as poor density need to be solved urgently. In this article, the commonly used materials of L-PBF are systematically reviewed, and the latest development of the application of L-PBF powder materials is analyzed. The background, application, and molding mechanism of a new type of green material for L-PBF are comprehensively introduced, which shows its great application potential. According to the characteristics of different materials, the methods to improve the quality of L-PBF parts are discussed. The existing problems and prospects of L-PBF are summarized.

Keywords: additive manufacturing; laser powder bed fusion; material preparation; mechanical property; wood–plastic composite.

FIG. 1.

Schematic diagram of L-PBF principle. L-PBF, laser powder bed fusion.

FIG. 2.

Common materials and molding mechanism of L-PBF. L-PBF, laser powder bed fusion.

FIG. 3.

3D reconstruction of internal holes. 3D, three-dimensional.

FIG. 4.

Ti₆Al₄V porous microstructure of bone tissue.

FIG. 5.

SEM images of SLM ceramic samples. (a) Al₂O₃ ceramic sintering products, (b) scraping powder sintering product. SEM, scanning electron microscope; SLM, selective laser melting.

FIG. 6.

SEM morphology of products before and after epoxy resin infiltration. (a, b) Bending failure surfaces of parts without epoxy adhesive; (c, d) Banding failure surfaces of parts with epoxy resin adhesive.