Hot compression behavior of LPBF-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy

Titanium and its alloys are highly renowned for their applications in precision industries(i.e., Aerospace industry, Biomedical industry) due to their excellent mechanical properties and highly corrosion-resistant nature. The demand for their application is increasing day by day, from defense industries to medical industries. Manufacturing complex parts and components is somewhat challenging for the manufacturing industry, particularly when the material is expensive, such as titanium and its alloys. Recently, researchers have been focusing on hybrid additive manufacturing to manufacture precision components with near-net shapes, which involves additive manufacturing and hot working of metals. A sophisticated method that adds glory to the manufacturing engineering. Numerous analytical, numerical, and experimental studies have already discussed the potential of this new method and confirmed its sustainability in the long run. However, due to their precision application, several validations must be done before this process gets established in the manufacturing industry, particularly with alloys like Ti-6Al-4V. This study investigates the hot compression behavior of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Cylindrical specimens were produced in two distinct build directions and subjected to stress-relief heat treatment at 950 °C for 30 minutes, followed by furnace cooling. Hot compression tests were conducted at 800 °C, 900 °C, and 950 °C under strain rates of 0.1 s⁻¹, 1 s⁻¹, and 10 s⁻¹. Flow stress curves were analyzed to assess deformation behavior under varying thermal and strain rate conditions. Post-deformation microstructures were examined to understand the influence of temperature, strain rate, and build direction on dynamic softening mechanisms. The findings provide insights into the hot workability and microstructural evolution of LPBF-fabricated Ti-6Al-4V, informing process optimization for additive manufacturing applications.