Numerical Simulation of the Effect of Particle and Substrate Preheating on Porosity Level and Residual Stress of As-sprayed Ti6Al4V Components

Nowadays, in the aerospace industry, additive manufacturing and repairing damaged metallic components like Ti6Al4V samples have grabbed attention. Among repairing techniques, solid-state additive manufacturing processes like cold spray are promising because of their unique benefits such as high deposition rate with almost no oxidation in the deposited materials. However, its main drawback is the level of porosity of as-sprayed samples. To increase density and inter-particle bonding, deposited particles must go through more degrees of deformation by increasing particle velocity and particle temperature. In order to increase these two parameters simultaneously, high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) can be utilized. For understanding the effect of using HVAF on particle deformation, a proper elastic-plastic finite-element-based simulation is required. The obtained outcomes show that enhancing particle velocity and providing more kinetic energy will increase particle deformation and sample density. Importantly, increasing particle temperature will seize particle deformation by thermal softening effect, i.e., enhancing as-sprayed sample density, while rising substrate temperature by preheating will soften the substrate resulting in a decrease in particle deformation.

Automated summary

Cold spray is promising in the aerospace industry for repairing damaged metallic components, but its drawback is the high porosity of sprayed samples. Utilizing high-velocity air fuel (HVAF) technology can increase sample density and particle bonding, but a proper finite-element simulation is needed to understand the effect of particle deformation.