Effect of stress-relieved heat treatment on very high cycle fatigue performance of additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technique is utilized in various industries to create intricate designs. The durability of L-PBF components should be evaluated when subjected to different load cycles to widen their applicability in other fields. While previous studies have mostly concentrated on static and low cycle loads, high cycle and very high cycle loadings are crucial in many applications. This study examines the impact of stress-relieved (SR) heat treatment on very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) performance of L-PBF Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The SR heat treatment enhanced the VHCF response of the alloy by lowering defect levels and their size along with changing the microstructure, thus demonstrating their increased versatility for wider industrial applications.