Direct selective laser sintering of silicon carbide: Realizing the full potential through process parameter optimization

Direct-Selective Laser Sintering (D-SLS) is a promising Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology for Silicon Carbide (SiC). The appropriate values for the process parameters should be employed to achieve considerable success in the D-SLS of SiC. These process parameters include laser power, scanning speed, layer thickness, hatching space, and compaction ratio. A numerical model has been developed to determine the optimal process parameters for the D-SLS of SiC to be used as a guide during the experimental research. SiC samples were successfully printed using the estimated parameters from the numerical model, proving the reliability of the developed numerical model. With varying layer thicknesses of 22, 30, and 40 µm, the scanning speed at various values, including 100, 250, and 500 mm/s, was investigated. It was possible to print SiC samples with a relative density of 82% directly on a metallic base plate using low scanning speeds and layer thicknesses as low as 22 and 30 µm. This result was the first study to print SiC directly on a metallic baseplate. This remarkable finding will enable many applications that previously required metallic and ceramic materials to adhere together during SLS/M-based 3D printing. The process parameters were optimized to achieve a relative density of 87%, resulting in a laser power of 45 W, a scanning speed of 100 mm/s, and a hatching space of 40 µm. The evaluation of mechanical performance should be considered a future study.