Microstructure and properties of AlSi7Mg alloy fabricated by selective laser melting

The AlSi7Mg alloy was fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM), and its microstructure and properties at different building directions after heat treatment were analyzed. Results show that the microstructure of SLM AlSi7Mg samples containes three zones:fine grain zone, coarse grain zone, and heat affected zone. The fine-grain regions locate inside the molten pool, and the grains are equiaxed. The coarse-grain regions locate in the overlap of molten pools. After T6 treatment, the microstructure at the molten pool boundary is still the network eutectic Si, but the network structure becomes discrete, and is composed of intermittent, chain-like eutectic Si particles. The yield strength at three directions (xy, 45°, z direction) of the AlSi7Mg alloy samples fabricated by SLM is improved after T6 heat treatment. The fracture mechanism of the samples is a mixed ductile and brittle fracture before heat treatment and ductile fracture after heat treatment.