Comparison of metal additive manufacturing processes for the production of tailored blanks

Abstract

The implementation of resource-efficient approaches to sheet metal forming, such as load-adapted design, has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The use of tailored blanks with different thicknesses and materials optimizes both the forming process and the final application of the products. The integration of additive manufacturing allows for greater customization and multi-material combinations, improving the geometric flexibility of semi-finished products. As part of the investigations, the potential of using powder bed fusion using a laser beam (PBF-LB/M) and laser-based directed energy deposition (DED-LB/M) to locally reinforce semi-finished sheet metal products is examined. For this purpose, customised semi-finished products are produced using both processes and analysed with regard to their geometry, metallographic structure and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the part properties after deep-drawing the tailored additive blanks are investigated.