Abrasive Fluidized Bed (AFB) finishing of AlSi10Mg substrates manufactured by Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

This work explores the feasibility of using the Abrasive Fluidized Bed (AFB) method to finish flat AlSi10Mg substrates manufactured by Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS). Finishing was performed by rotating the substrates inside a fluidized bed of abrasives at high speeds. The interaction between the fluidized abrasives and AlSi10Mg substrates has been investigated to analyze the influence of the operational parameters, namely, abrasive type and rotational speed, on the finishing performance. The morphological features of the substrates and geometrical tolerances have been inspected by field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and contact gauge profilometry. After short finishing cycles, the substrates featured a smoother surface morphology, while the edges were only influenced slightly by the abrasive impacts. Abrasive Fluidized Bed (AFB) can therefore be considered a potential easy-to-automate, low cost, low time consuming and sustainable finishing technology for metal parts obtained through additive manufacturing.