Investigation of microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V samples produced by electron beam melting method

In this study, the effects of different build orientations on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy samples produced using the Electron Beam Melting (EBM) method were investigated. The samples were fabricated at 0°, 60°, and 90° angles using an Arcam Q20plus EBM machine. The manufactured samples were subjected to bending tests, microhardness measurements, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis to evaluate their mechanical and metallurgical properties. The bending tests were conducted on an Instron 68TM-10 machine, and the results demonstrated a significant dependence on build orientation. The highest bending strength was observed in samples produced at 0°, while samples fabricated at 90° showed relatively lower mechanical performance. Microstructural analysis revealed that grain orientation and porosity distribution varied with build direction, affecting mechanical properties. Microhardness measurements were carried out with Duramin-100 Vickers microhardness device and partially significant hardness differences were detected between the samples. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis were applied to determine statistical significance in mechanical property variations. The results indicated that build orientation had a notable impact on mechanical behavior, with a correlation between microstructural characteristics and mechanical test outcomes. These findings contribute to the understanding of how build orientation affects the microstructural and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloys produced by the EBM method, providing valuable insights for applications in aerospace, biomedical, and defense industries.