Faculty Publications

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    Evaluation of functionally graded YSZ - IN625 clad without bond coat using laser directed energy deposition
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023) Likhwar, J.; Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.S.S.
    M-CrAlY or M-Cr-based bond coats are used as a buffer layer to apply ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to metal turbine blades. However, due to oxygen diffusion, thermally grown oxides grow over the bond coat material, leading to coating failure in the components. Therefore, this study attempts to fabricate a novel TBC-coated IN625 without bond coat material using a Functional grading approach. The findings from this study may pave the way for processing functionally graded ceramic materials using Laser Additive manufacturing techniques. This study also evaluates the performance of functional grading in joining dissimilar materials using small spot-size laser sources. In the present study, samples were fabricated for three sample conditions: S1: direct clad, S2: 25% linear grading, and S3: 50% linear grading. The interface between Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and IN625 for the S1 sample showed discontinuous and horizontal cracks along the interface due to steep variations in thermal properties. However, the interface of S2 and S3 samples showed good adhesion and a smooth transition in microstructure between IN625 and YSZ as a result of functional grading. SEM micrographs showed homogeneous YSZ distributions without segregation within the IN625 matrix. This was attributed to strong Marangoni flow as a result of the small spot-size laser beam used in this study. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
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    Hybrid additive manufacturing of ER70S6 steel and Inconel 625: A study on microstructure and mechanical properties
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2023) Rodrigues, J.P.; Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Manjhi, S.K.; Sekar, P.; Arumuga Perumal, D.A.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.S.S.
    Hybrid Additive Manufacturing (HAM) is currently being explored because of its potential to achieve trade-off between build capacity and feature resolution. The present study aims at fabricating ER70S6-Inconel 625 (IN625) bimetallic clad using hybrid Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) and Laser Directed Energy Deposition (LDED) processes. Microstructure evaluation was performed at the cross section of bimetallic clad for distinct materials as well as the interface. WAAM built ER70S6 revealed equiaxed ferritic grains, whereas laser deposited IN625 region showed columnar dendrites with under developed secondary arms. However, the first layer of IN625 exhibited columnar dendrite with secondary arms due to the influence of diffused Fe from the base ER70S6 steel under the action of concentrated laser heat source, which was revealed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) maps. The measured microhardness across the cross section of the deposit showed values corresponding to inherent material system. The interface did not reveal presence of any intermetallic phases which was confirmed by hardness results and X-Ray diffraction. Shear test revealed superior bond strength between the two materials, maintaining average strength of 452 MPa. The fractography images exhibited fine dimples along with cleavages indicating mixed fracture characteristics. This additive manufacturing method explores a new dimension in multi-material fabrication which, when customized for different materials, serve critical areas in the aerospace and defence sector. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
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    Effect of deposition strategy and post processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of serviced Inconel 625 parts repaired using laser directed energy deposition
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Chaurasia, J.K.; Jinoop, A.N.; Paul, C.P.; Bindra, K.S.; Balla, V.K.; Bontha, S.
    In the present work, an attempt is made to understand and explore the repair capabilities of the Laser Directed Energy Deposition (LDED) process on Nickel based superalloy Inconel 625 (IN625). Samples were extracted from a wrought plate of IN625 and then were subjected to a fatigue test to mimic a component in service for repairing. Further, deposition was carried out on these fatigued tensile sample surfaces i.e., Top, Top & bottom, One side and Both sides. The samples were also solution-treated at 1200 °C for 90 mins. Microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated and then compared between the different deposition strategies and sample heat-treatment conditions. Tensile properties were compared for all the three sample conditions viz. wrought alloy, as repaired and solution treated. Results indicate sound deposition with minimal porosity in all the four deposition strategies using the LDED process with a mean deposit height of 1.02 ± 0.25 mm. Microstructural analysis revealed mixed dendrite and columnar structure in the case of as-deposited samples whereas, solution treated samples exhibited recrystallized equiaxed grains with the presence of annealing twins. The as-deposited samples show a ductile mode of failure with a maximum ultimate strength of 830 MPa, yield strength of 350 MPa and elongation of 72%. For solution treated samples, a maximum ultimate tensile strength of 620 MPa, yield strength of 270 MPa and elongation of 73% were observed. The strength of the material was found to be highly influenced by the solution treatment. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
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    Enhanced tribological performance of laser directed energy deposited Inconel 625 achieved through laser surface remelting
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024) Praharaj, A.K.; Chaurasia, J.K.; Gurugubelli, R.C.; Bontha, S.; Suvin, P.S.
    Inconel 625 (IN625) is an essential material for the manufacture of turbine blades and seals, aircraft ducting systems, engine components, and pressure valves. Laser Directed Energy Deposition (LDED) process has shown the potential to fabricate IN625 parts with superior mechanical properties and higher corrosion resistance when compared to those fabricated using conventional manufacturing techniques. However, the poor surface quality limits the practical application of LDED fabricated parts, especially in sectors that demand high tribological performance. To this end, this study focuses on improving the surface quality and tribological performance of LDED fabricated IN625 components using Laser Surface Remelting (LSR) as a postprocessing operation. The tribological performance was evaluated using a linear reciprocating ball-on-flat wear test setup. The surface roughness, remelting depth (RD), microstructure, hardness, and tribological performance (coefficient of friction and wear rate) of the remelted (RM) samples were compared with that of as-deposited (AD) samples. Microstructural characterization revealed that LSR resulted in grain refinement, reduced dendrite size, and primary dendritic arm spacing (PDAS). Laser scanning speed effects RD, dendrite size and PDAS via its effect on cooling rates. SEM + EDS analysis confirmed the presence of Laves phase in both AD and RM samples. XRD analysis of RM samples showed an increase in the amount of Laves phase. The refinement in microstructural features and the increased amount of Laves phase among the RM samples led to improvement in microhardness when compared to AD samples. Wear test results revealed a reduction in the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate after LSR with wear mechanism being either abrasive or delamination. Reduction in the size of dendrites and refinement in grain size are attributed to the enhanced tribological performance after LSR. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
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    Enhancing fatigue performance of AZ31 magnesium alloy components fabricated by cold metal transfer-based wire arc directed energy deposition through LPB
    (KeAi Communications Co., 2024) Manjhi, S.K.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.A.S.
    Cold Metal Transfer-Based Wire Arc Directed Energy Deposition (CMT-WA-DED) presents a promising avenue for the rapid fabrication of components crucial to automotive, shipbuilding, and aerospace industries. However, the susceptibility to fatigue of CMT-WA-DED-produced AZ31 Mg alloy components has impeded their widespread adoption for critical load-bearing applications. In this study, a comprehensive investigation into the fatigue behaviour of WA-DED-fabricated AZ31 Mg alloy has been carried out and compared to commercially available wrought AZ31 alloy. Our findings indicate that the as-deposited parts exhibit a lower fatigue life than wrought Mg alloy, primarily due to poor surface finish, tensile residual stress, porosity, and coarse grain microstructure inherent in the WA-DED process. Low Plasticity Burnishing (LPB) treatment is applied to mitigate these issues, which induce significant plastic deformation on the surface. This treatment resulted in a remarkable improvement of fatigue life by 42%, accompanied by a reduction in surface roughness, grain refinement and enhancement of compressive residual stress levels. Furthermore, during cyclic deformation, WA-DED specimens exhibited higher plasticity and dislocation density compared to both wrought and WA-DED + LPB specimens. A higher fraction of Low Angle Grain Boundaries (LAGBs) in WA-DED specimens contributed to multiple crack initiation sites and convoluted crack paths, ultimately leading to premature failure. In contrast, wrought and WA-DED + LPB specimens displayed a higher percentage of High Angle Grain Boundaries (HAGBs), which hindered dislocation movement and resulted in fewer crack initiation sites and less complex crack paths, thereby extending fatigue life. These findings underscore the effectiveness of LPB as a post-processing technique to enhance the fatigue performance of WA-DED-fabricated AZ31 Mg alloy components. Our study highlights the importance of LPB surface treatment on AZ31 Mg components produced by CMT-WA-DED to remove surface defects, enabling their widespread use in load-bearing applications. © 2024
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    Laser directed energy deposited Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy: An investigation of high temperature oxidation behavior
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024) Gurugubelli, R.C.; Balla, V.K.; Rajasekaran, B.; Krishna, P.; Bontha, S.
    This study investigates high-temperature oxidation behavior and kinetics of Laser Directed Energy Deposited (LDED) Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb (Ti-48-2-2) alloy at 750 °C, 850 °C, and 950 °C, for 30, 60 and 100 h. Results reveal that the oxide-scale consists of alternating bands of TiO2 and Al2O3 and its stability is strongly dependent on the oxidation temperature and duration. At 850 °C and 950 °C, the oxide-scale delaminated following 100-h exposure. LDED Ti-48-2-2 exhibited an oxidation rate constant of 0.984 mg2 cm−4 h−1 at 850 °C (100 h) and 2.09 mg2 cm−4 h−1 at 950 °C (100 h), and an activation energy of 83.7 kJ mol−1 (850°–950 °C). LDED Ti-48-2-2 exhibited poor oxidation resistance compared to conventionally processed Ƴ-TiAl alloys. This can be attributed to the absence of N-rich layer and the typical nano-scale α2/γ banded lamellar microstructure observed in other processing routes. Post-process heat treatments can be utilized to obtain the desired microstructural features. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
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    Process parameter optimization for laser directed energy deposition (LDED) of Ti6Al4V using single-track experiments with small laser spot size
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Gonnabattula, A.; Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.A.S.; Anil Kumar, V.A.; Kanjarla, A.K.
    Single-track experiments are routinely used in the optimization of process parameters in additive manufacturing processes. Most of the process parameter optimization studies use a laser spot size of 1 mm or more. Since laser spot size affects the input energy density and in turn the efficiency of the deposition process, it is important to develop process maps every time a laser of different spot sizes is used. In this work, we determine the process maps for a laser of 0.6 mm spot size. By combining the process maps and the metallographic inspection, we estimate the optimum process parameters (laser power, scan speed, powder feed rate) for building Ti6Al4V components using powder-based laser-directed energy deposition(LDED). Single-tracks corresponding to 64 different parameter combinations are deposited. After eliminating the process parameter combinations resulting in defective tracks, the optimum process parameters of 300 W laser power and 720 mm min−1 scan speed is established by considering the relationship between the process parameters and the geometrical features of the deposit. The experimental results are then used to calibrate the modeling parameters of a three-dimensional finite element model for simulating the deposition process. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd
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    Effect of surface remelting on the characteristics of IN718 components fabricated using laser powder directed energy deposition
    (Institute of Physics, 2024) Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Jadhav, S.V.; Oyyaravelu, R.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.A.S.
    Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) fabricated components exhibit poor surface finish, necessitating additional post-processing steps prior to their practical application. Enhancing the surface quality of additively manufactured IN718 specimens through conventional post-processing methods is particularly challenging, given the material’s poor machinability and the complexity of the fabricated components. The current study is centered on comprehending the impact of Laser Surface Remelting (LSR) on the surface properties of Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposited (LP-DED) IN718 material. To gain insights into how remelting influences surface characteristics, remelting was carried out using various sets of parameters. The remelted zone exhibited a refined grain structure, leading to increased hardness. Moreover, significant reductions in surface roughness and residual stress were observed in the remelted samples. Regression analysis indicated that laser power played a pivotal role, with positive impact on surface finish and depth of influence but a negative impact on residual stress and hardness. Therefore, considering all the comparison metrics, remelting using laser power of 150 W and a scan speed of 1140 mm min−1 were found to yield optimal surface conditions. © 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved.
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    Thermal life assessment of laser powder-directed energy deposited NiCrAlY/CuCrZr bimetallic clad for rocket nozzle applications
    (Elsevier B.V., 2024) Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Urs, S.S.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.S.S.
    To enhance the thermal life of rocket exhaust nozzles, the hot side of copper liners is coated with thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to provide thermal insulation and oxidation resistance. However, interface failures often occur between M-CrAlY bond coats and nozzle liners due to significant differences in their thermal expansion coefficients (CTE). This study explores the use of Laser Powder-Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) to clad NiCrAlY onto a CuCrZr substrate, as the process offers localized heating which can offer better bond strength. Optimization trials were conducted using single and multi-track studies to identify optimal parameters. Due to the low energy absorption of the CuCrZr substrate to 1070 nm laser sources, cladding was performed at a high energy density of 135 J/mm2 with a 1.2 g/min feed rate to achieve defect-free clads with sufficient diffusion. The bulk of the NiCrAlY clads showed ??-Ni3Al, ?-NiAl, and ?-Ni phases, while Y4Al2O9 and Y2O3 oxides formed on the top surface due to aluminum and yttrium depletion at high temperatures. The clads exhibited cellular dendritic microstructures at the bulk region, and planar microstructures were observed at the dilution zone. EBSD-KAM maps showed higher dislocation density near the interface due to CTE mismatch across substrate and clad. Scratch tests confirmed strong adhesion with no interface cracks, though crack propagation was observed from the edges after 50 isothermal cycles, driven by copper erosion. With Cu diffusion, interface region exhibited a graded microstructure which could enhance CTE, improving compatibility compared to standard NiCrAlY alloys. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
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    Surface Characteristics of Low Plasticity Burnished Laser Directed Energy Deposition Alloy IN718
    (Springer, 2024) Mohanraj; Thanumoorthy, R.S.; Sekar, P.; Muthuchamy, A.; Bontha, S.; Balan, A.S.S.
    The research work focuses on a novel post-processing sequence to improve the surface integrity and residual stress characteristics of as-printed Inconel718 (IN718) samples. The as-printed IN718 samples are subjected to solution treatment at 1050 °C, two-step precipitation hardening (@ 720 °C for 8 h and @ 620 °C for 8 h), and low plasticity burnishing. Two different sequences were attempted. Sequence-1 involves solutionizing ? low plasticity burnishing followed by precipitation hardening, and sequence-2 includes solutionizing ? precipitation hardening followed by low plasticity burnishing. The experimental observations and detailed investigations revealed that the samples processed via sequence 2 exhibited a better surface finish. The microhardness of the samples of sequence 2 is 10% higher than their counterparts in sequence 1. The maximum residual stress of ?1375.33 MPa is obtained in sequence 1 as compared to the residual stress of ?1100.67 MPa in sequence 2. The influence of the processing sequences on the surface properties has been discussed in detail using the XRD and microstructural characterization supported with EBSD analysis. Graphic Abstract: (Figure presented.) © The Indian Institute of Metals - IIM 2024.