Tribological Response and Optimization of Additive Manufactured Hot Forming Tool Materials.

Sammanfattning

With more efficiency and flexibility, additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized our production of intricate materials and designs. Still, limited investigations have been done on how well AM-manufactured materials operate in demanding conditions—such as hot forming environments. This thesis compares, at temperatures of 40°C, 200°C, and 400°C, the tribological behavior—that of wear resistance, friction, and thermal stability—of tool steel produced by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) versus conventional tool steel. Along with thorough analysis techniques including microhardness testing, 3D optical profilometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the research comprised long (15 minutes) and short (60-second) dry tests using an SRV tribometer. The findings revealed obvious variations in how the materials handled friction, wore down, and reacted at various temperatures. One of the key takeaways is that the microstructure of AM tool steel affects how it performs under high temperatures, especially when it comes to the formation and stability of oxide layers. These findings provide important insights for industries that rely on high-temperature applications, like hot forming, where material durability and reliability are essential.