The diploma thesis deals with the development of process parameters of SLM technology for the material IN718. The main goal is an experimental development of a set of parameters for the production of thin-walled parts with regard to material density, surface roughness and tightness. The essence of the development of parameters is an experimental explanation of the influence of laser power and scanning speed on the morphology of single tracks, which are used for the production of a thin wall. Together with walls of larger widths and volume samples, it is possible to create an intersection of parameters by which is possible to create components formed by a combination of thin-walled and volume geometry. The performed research created a material set, where the parameters of thin walls are used for the area of contours of bulk samples. We managed to produce a wall with an average width of 0.15 mm and roughness of 6 m, which meets the requirement for the tightness. The meander scanning pattern achieved a relative material density of 99.92%, which is more than with the supplier's parameters. Based on the acquired knowledge, it was possible to apply a set of parameters to components combining both geometries.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the influence of the structure of castings from the nickel superalloy Inconel 713 LC using rotation and cycling by casting table. The aim is to achieve a fine-grained structure and the best mechanical properties through varying the oscillation parameters during casting crystallization. Six castings of axial turbine wheel were initially casted for the purpose of this thesis. After evaluating their macrostructure, microstructure and mechanical properties, four additional axial turbine wheels were casted in order to validate the results.

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The commercial polycrystalline superalloy RR1000 developed for turbine disc applications contains a large number of alloying elements. This complex alloy chemistry is required in order to produce appropriate microstructures and the required mechanical properties, such that the most important strengthener γʹ displays complex alloy chemistry. The broad aim of this project is to develop an approach to measuring the composition of γʹ precipitates at a broad range of length scales from nanometres to hundreds of nanometres, and subsequently develop a better understanding of the role of thermodynamics and diffusion kinetics on γʹ phase separation and precipitate growth. A solution of the absorption-corrected EDX spectroscopy to spherical particles was developed in our work, therefore enabling the quantitative analysis of precipitates' composition using an absorption-corrected Cliff-Lorimer approach. By performing this quantification, size-dependent precipitate compositional variations were obtained. Examination of this quantitative approach was compared to thermodynamic calculations of primary γ' precipitates possessing equilibrium compositions. Given the development of semi-quantitative compositional measurements for spherical γʹ precipitates and that cooling is one of the most common and critical regimes in physical metallurgy of Ni-based superalloys, this approach was then applied to study the local compositional variations that are induced in γ' precipitates when the alloy RR1000 undergoes different cooling rates. These measured compositions have been compared to detailed thermodynamic calculations and provide new experimental evidence of the importance of the dominant role of aluminium antisite diffusion in determining the low-temperature growth kinetics of fine-scale γ' precipitates. We have applied a similar analysis approach to study the compositional variations of γʹ cores within the class of secondary precipitates upon cyclic coarsening and reversal coarsening. It was shown that supersaturated Co in secondary γʹ exhibits an overall trend towards the equilibrium but Co content can significantly increase as γʹ coarsens. It was demonstrated that the limited elemental diffusivity in γ and γʹ compared to the observed coarsening rate in the coarsening regime results in the long-lasting Co supersaturation in γʹ and builds up elemental enhancements or depletions. These inhomogeneous elemental distributions produce compressive elastic constraints on large-scale secondary γʹ, therefore inducing morphological instability of these γʹ and causing the reversal coarsening. These results enable us to better understand the role that both thermodynamics and limited diffusion kinetics plays in controlling the complex microstructures of γ' precipitates.

Inconel 718 (IN 718) is widely used in applications, such as aircraft and power turbine components. Recently, fiber laser welding has become an attractive joining technique in industry for fabrication and repair of service-damaged components. However, a major limitation in the laser welding of IN 718 is that liquation cracking occurs. In the present work, autogenous fiber laser welding of IN 718 was used to study the effects of welding parameters and different pre-weld heat treatments on liquation cracking. Contrary to previous studies, a dual effect of heat input on cracking is observed. A rarely reported effect of heat input is attributed to process instability. Liquation cracking increases with pre-weld heat treatment temperatures that increase grain size and/or, possibly, intregranular boron segregation. The study shows that pre-weld heat treatment at 950oC can be used for repair welding of IN 718 without significant loss in cracking resistance.

Inconel 718 (IN 718) is widely used in applications, such as aircraft and power turbine components. Recently, fiber laser welding has become an attractive joining technique in industry for fabrication and repair of service-damaged components. However, a major limitation in the laser welding of IN 718 is that liquation cracking occurs. In the present work, autogenous fiber laser welding of IN 718 was used to study the effects of welding parameters and different pre-weld heat treatments on liquation cracking. Contrary to previous studies, a dual effect of heat input on cracking is observed. A rarely reported effect of heat input is attributed to process instability. Liquation cracking increases with pre-weld heat treatment temperatures that increase grain size and/or, possibly, intregranular boron segregation. The study shows that pre-weld heat treatment at 950oC can be used for repair welding of IN 718 without significant loss in cracking resistance.

Les superalliages à base de nickel sont très utilisés pour la réalisation des parties chaudes des turbomoteurs aéronautiques. Ainsi le superalliage Inconel 718 est utilisé pour la fabrication de pièces telles que les disques de turbines. Ce superalliage est fortement utilisé car il associe de bonnes propriétés mécaniques jusqu’à 650°C à un coût raisonnable. Au début des années 2000, ATI Allvac a développé un nouveau superalliage à base de nickel dans le but de concurrencer l’Inconel 718. Ce nouvel alliage, nommé ATI 718Plus, promet des propriétés mécaniques supérieures que celles de l’Inconel 718 pour une utilisation pouvant aller jusqu’à 700°C. Pour obtenir de bonnes propriétés mécaniques jusqu’à 700°C, la composition chimique de l’alliage ATI 718Plus a été établi par ATI Allvac, de façon à obtenir la phase intragranulaire !’ comme phase durcissante, et la phase intergranulaire " comme dans l’Inconel 718. L’objectif de l’étude a été dans un premier temps de comprendre la microstructure de l’alliage. Pour cela des analyses en MEB et en MET ont été menées sur un grand nombre d’échantillons, traités à diverses températures et pour divers temps, de façon à identifier la nature cristallographique et chimique et la cinétique de précipitation des phases présentes dans l’alliage. Dans un second temps l’étude a consisté à caractériser la microstructure et les propriétés mécaniques en traction et en fluage de l’alliage ATI 718Plus traité selon neuf gammes de traitements thermomécaniques différentes. Ensuite l’étude a permis de tester trois gammes de traitements thermomécaniques dont nous avons défini les paramètres grâce aux résultats précédents de manière à optimiser la microstructure dans l’objectif d’améliorer les propriétés mécaniques de l’alliage. Les essais de traction réalisés sur une grande varieté de microstructures et pour différentes températures ont également permis de caractériser la sensibilité de l’alliage ATI 718Plus au phénomène de Portevin - Le Chatelier. / Nickel base superalloys are used to manufacture many high temperature parts of aeronautical turboengines like turbine disks. The Inconel 718 superalloy is commonly used because it associates good mechanical properties until 650°C with a moderate cost. In the beginning of the 2000’s, ATI Allvac has developed a new nickel base superalloy to compete with the Inconel 718. This new superalloy, called ATI 718Plus, promises better mechanical properties than those of Inconel 718 for a use up to 700°C. To obtain such good mechanical properties, the chemical composition of the alloy ATI 718Plus has been designed by ATI Allvac to obtain the !’ intragranular phase as the strengthening phase, and the " intergranular phase like in the Inconel 718. The objective of the study is first to understand the microstructure of the alloy. For that reason, SEM and TEM analyses were performed on a large number of samples, treated at various temperatures and for different times, to identify the crystallographic and chemical nature and the precipitation kinetic of the phases present in the alloy. In a second time, the study has consisted in characterizing the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the alloy ATI 718Plus, forged according to nine different thermomechanical treatments. Then, the study has permitted to test three thermomechanical treatments, wich parameters we have determined according to the previous results, to optimize the microstructure in order to improve alloy mechanical properties. Strength tests performed on various microstructures and several temperatures also permitted to characterize the alloy ATI 718Plus sensitivity to Portevin-Le Chatelier effect.

The continuing quest for higher performance levels of modern gas turbine engines has been accompanied by the demand for higher engine operating temperatures. The use of Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) enabled gas turbines to operate at higher temperatures by protecting the blade material (nickel superalloy) while operating in extreme environments. The TBC system typically consists of a bond coat for protection of the nickel–based superalloy against oxidation followed by a top coat consisting of a thermally insulating zirconia-yttria. In addition to the complex gradation in phases, the coatings are subjected to continuous oxidation with service exposure, mechanical loading on rotating parts, fatigue, thermal mis-match and temperature gradients. Hence, the study of failure mechanisms of TBCs become important in deciding operational reliability and service life of the coating. As there are many systems in which the operating temperatures are not high enough to warrant the use of the top coat (ceramic layer), the study of failure mechanisms in superalloys coated with only the bond coat continue to be of great interest. The present work concentrates on the fracture behavior of NiAl bond coats on nickel superalloy and seeks to evaluate the fracture toughness of the coating through the use of micro-machined samples. A review of the relevant literature indicated that while a considerable body of work exists on bulk tests of failure (spalling, splitting, etc.), not much has been reported in the open literature on the evaluation of basic quantities such as the toughness of the coating itself. The present thesis seeks to establish a protocol for the evaluation of toughness and crack propagation mechanisms in coatings through a combination of micro-sample testing that allows fracture to be correlated with location in the film and the use of an analytical model to quantitatively evaluate stress intensity factors in a bi-material system. A system of NiAl coating produced by pack aluminizing is studied for the fracture properties of the coating. Specimen geometries are optimized to enable micro-cracks to be machined and propagated in a low load testing system, such as a depth sensing indenter, so that crack lengths (and position relative to the interface) can be correlated with load. To enable linear elastic theory to be used, dimensions are determined that allow fracture before general yielding. A three point bending test using miniaturized micro-beam specimens of ~ 4 X 0.3 X 0.3 mm is found to be suitable for the above purpose. The technique is a challenging one that requires focused ion beam machining (FIB) along with careful handling and alignment of small samples. The coatings are characterized for their microstructure by electron microscopy to identify compositional variation across the thickness and to determine the thickness of the coating and inter diffusion zone (IDZ). The crack advancement is monitored with increments of loading and the stress intensity factor is evaluated using a program written in “MAPLE” for an edge crack subjected to bending in a bilayered material. Surprisingly, fracture in this system is found to be stable owing to a gradual increase in toughness from the coating surface to the interface. Such an increase from less than 2 to more than 9 MPa m0.5 may be due to the increasing Ni/Al ratio across the thickness of the bond coat. Crack branching is observed as the crack approaches the IDZ and the reasons for such behaviour are not fully understood. This work establishes the viability of this technique to determine fracture properties in highly graded coated systems and may be readily extended to more complex coating architectures and other forms of loading such as cyclic, mixed mode, etc.