Mechanisms of Heat-Treatment-Induced Cracking in Additively Manufactured IN738 Alloy

Abstract

The present study conducts a comprehensive study on heat-treatment-induced cracking of Inconel 738 (IN738) alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results indicate that the macroscopic crack is dominantly triggered by the strain-age cracking mechanism and propagates along grain boundaries. The initiation of cracking is facilitated by the superimposition of residual stress induced by the LPBF process and contraction stress induced by precipitation, while the reopening of compress pores at grain boundaries weakens the grain boundaries and provides fast channels for cracking. These results revealed the coupling effects in triggering heat-treatment-induced cracking, offering a fundamental guideline for crack control during heat treatment of additively manufactured IN738 alloy.