Anisotropic Mechanical Behavior of AlSi10Mg Parts Produced by Selective Laser Melting

AlSi10Mg cylinders produced by laser powder-bed fusion have somewhat different yield behavior for cylinders with XY orientation and Z orientation. Earlier yielding for Z-oriented samples is likely related to micro-residual stress, resulting from the difference in thermal expansion of the aluminum matrix and cellular silicon. Smaller tensile reduction in area of Z-oriented samples is related to tearing along the softer region at the boundaries of melt pools, where the silicon cell spacing is larger. Indentation measurements confirmed the lower hardness at the edges of melt pools.