Additive Manufacturing of Monel K-500 via Directed Energy Deposition for Pressure Vessel Applications

Metal additive manufacturing has rapidly revolutionized the production processes across various industries. Laser-assisted powder-fed directed energy deposition (DED) has eminent advantages such as high deposition rate, capability for cladding and repairing valuable parts, and great potential for in-situ alloying, which are highly desirable attributes for pressure vessel applications. This study used DED to process Monel K-500, a nickel-based alloy approved by the American Society Of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Fully dense Monel K-500 parts were printed by DED with the tensile strength of ∼ 20% and elongation of ∼ 120% higher than their casted counterparts. Besides, the anisotropy of mechanical properties of DED fabricated Monel K-500 parts were investigated. This work provides a technical reference for industries to utilize DED to manufacture Monel K-500 parts with desirable performance for pressure vessel applications.