The Importance of Describing the Molten Pool to Understanding the Additive Manufacturing Process by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing; Laser Powder Bed Fusion; LPBF; Molten Pool; Microstructural Control.

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes for metals do not have the same popularity as other materials due to development needs, innate safety concerns, and technological and operational costs. Among these, the laser powder bed fusion process (FLP-L) has stood out in recent years mainly due to its differential advantages. In this process, the dynamics of molten pool formation are decisive for the performance of an FLP-L product, including specific unique properties, such as its crystalline texture. Thus, molten pool formation, geometry, and overlaps are subjects of continued interest in the literature. Within this context, the present work reviews the literature on the main characteristics and conditions that control the formation and dynamics of molten pools, illustrating the information with records available in the literature, including those obtained from Nb-48Ti alloy powders. In conclusion, the work offers guidelines for establishing microstructural control conditions for a metallic product obtained by this process.