CoCr alloy processed by Selective Laser Melting (SLM): effect of Laser Energy Density on microstructure, surface morphology, and hardness

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) was used to realize Co-28Cr-6Mo samples. Several process parameters were considered, resulting in a wide range of Laser Energy Density (LED). The study was focused on the investigation of both process and material-related aspects, such as surface morphology, laser tracks dimension and defects formation mechanisms. In addition, macro (HRC) and microhardness (HV0.5) was assessed. A correlation between LED value and density, surface quality, microstructural features and hardness of SLM parts was defined. The final goal was to identify, for the biomedical Co-28Cr-6Mo alloy, the optimal LED window to be considered in order to maximize the overall quality of SLM parts.