Edgar Suritis January 21st, 2022

I. Research Title: Determining the Ideal Process Parameters for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF)

II. Overview of Research

The general area of investigation is additive manufacturing. More specifically, the study of laser powder
bed fusion (LPBF). Additive manufacturing is traditionally a process that involves layering two dimensional
layers into a three dimensional object. This technology excels at creating one-off prototypes and manufacturing
objects with high complexity. LPBF is a type of additive manufacturing that can be used to manufacture parts
made of metal or metal alloys. There are many variable parameters involved in this process that all have an
outcome on the quality of the manufactured part. While this technology has undergone significant development
since its inception, there are still many process parameters that have not yet been perfected. This research will
study many of the variable parameters of laser powder bed fusion such as part orientation, scanning strategies,
and energy density; and examine their effects on the mechanical properties, surface roughness, and residual
stress in the final part. The resources used to acquire knowledge in this field will be non-print sources found
online in databases such as “Science Direct”.

III. Background and Rationale

The outcome of a part created with the LPBF additive manufacturing process directly depends on the
process parameters that govern the creation of the part. To achieve an optimal outcome for a final part, optimal
process parameters must be used. However, there is disagreement between experts about the process parameters
that yield ideal results. Additionally, not all of the information required to make decisions about machine
settings is easily accessible. Without finding the optimal parameters and settings for the LPBF process, parts
created by this process can turn out weaker than expected, or out of a specified tolerance range. Because
different studies have conflicting information about the best practices, it is useful to examine many studies and
come to a common consensus. This research will work to clarify information about process parameters and
condense it into a more manageable form. Information and knowledge about this field will be developed
through the independent reading of online sources and guidance will be provided by Ms. Li Ma, working at
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory studying the LPBF additive manufacturing process.

IV. Primary Research Methodology

The research question is: How do various LPBF additive manufacturing process parameters such as part
orientation, scanning strategies, and energy density have an impact on the final produced part.
The research Hypothesis is: LPBF additive manufacturing process parameters such as part orientation,
scanning strategies, and energy density will affect the mechanical properties, surface roughness, and residual
stress in the final part.
A causal comparative research methodology will be used to answer this research question. Each process
parameter will be investigated, and the effect that parameter has on the part properties will be examined.
Quantitative data will be collected from various online sources. The data from these sources will be compared
and analyzed to find common trends in the effects of process parameters.

V. Product Objectives
The product of this research will be a published paper that shares the findings of the research. The
intended audience for this paper is engineers who are looking to optimize LPBF parameters to manufacture
metal parts more reliably and optimize the final part properties. People who work with LPBF machines but
don’t have the time to compare data from many sources will benefit from this research. This research will
establish common trends between multiple sources and provide clear guidelines for process parameter settings.
VI. Logistical Considerations
A variety of resources will be utilized in this project including the gathering of sources from the internet,
various databases, and libraries. In February 2022 a plan for data collection will be completed and in March of
2022 the timeline for writing a research paper will be mapped out.

VII. Significance of Research

This research is important because without the optimization of LPBF process parameters, parts produced
via this method will not yield optimal results. When parts can be created within set tolerances on the first attempt,
both money and time is conserved because parts don’t need to be printed twice.
The product of this research is appropriate for an audience of engineers and professionals in the field
because a paper summarizing research is the best way to communicate complex topics in a dense format to people
who already understand the field well. People who work with and run LPBF machines are an appropriate audience
because they stand to benefit the most from an increase in part reliability and tolerance.