Effect of C and Cu addition on the densification and microstructure of iron powder in direct laser sintering process

Laser sintering of Fe–C–Cu steel powder for rapid manufacturing of sintered components for functional testing was studied. The effects of C and Cu addition on the densification and the attendant microstructural features were investigated. The influence of iron particle size on the sintering kinetics was also examined. It is shown that the alloying elements significantly improve the densification rate when fine iron particles and high laser intensity are used. The mechanism of particle bonding and the effect of the alloying elements are presented.