Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Binding Mechanism of Metal Based SLS Prototype Coated with Ceramics using High Velocity Oxy Fuel

In recent times, there has been a growth in use of Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing (RPM) in various industries globally. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) used with coated metallic powders has been of special interest as it has widespread application for direct manufacturing especially in the Automotive, Aerospace and Injection Molding industries. This study aims at analyzing the mechanical properties of the fabricated samples at the various stages of a commercial SLS process developed by 3D Systems. Further, a few samples have been coated with a mixture of SiC and Al2O3 using HVOF coating process to improve the mechanical properties and surface properties of the samples. Simultaneously, a study of the surface of the samples was done using SEM analysis. This was aimed to understand the binding mechanism during the various stages of SLS. Finally, we have attempted to establish how the binding mechanism affects the density and the mechanical properties. This will not only establish which industries can directly use the SLS process in its current form with the appropriate coating process, but also lay the groundwork for future research in the variation of machine parameters and powder based raw material for improved mechanical properties