Design and destructive testing of high-value hook fabricated by laser metal deposition

Abstract

Laser metal deposition (LMD) provides an emerging opportunity for the economic fabrication of high-value components at low production volume. Despite the technical and commercial opportunities associated with LMD, there exist potential failure-modes that differ from those typical of traditional manufacture; concurrently, LMD is typically applied to high-value components associated with a high consequence of failure. This report contributes to the emerging literature on LMD component design and failure analysis by documenting the design and destructive testing of a high-value tensile loaded hook component, including numerical structural simulation, manufacture characterisation, microstructural analysis and instrumented destructive testing. This systematic design contributes to the understanding of LMD design for structural integrity and supports the application of LMD as a robust commercial additive technology.