Powder bed fusion (PBF) techniques for additive layer manufacturing (ALM) are reviewed with a focus on titanium alloys production. Selective laser melting and electron beam melting are discussed in terms of feedstock production and processing-microstructure relationships. To control the PBF processes, an outline is presented on the computational modelling approaches for simulating process parameters and defects such as residual stresses and porosity at different length scales. It is concluded that by improving powder production techniques, designing new alloys and further developing ALM hardware, PBF techniques can reach commercial maturity.
This review was submitted as part of the 2019 Materials Literature Review Prize of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining run by the Editorial Board of MST. Sponsorship of the prize by TWI Ltd is gratefully acknowledged.
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