Laser powder micro deposition of Ti6Al4V for the rapid manufacture of dental implants

Laser powder micro-deposition uses a finely focused laser beam to generate a minute meltpool on the surface of a metallic substrate into which metallic powder is blown. The laser/powder interaction zone is scanned over the substrate and molten material re-solidifies leaving micro-scale tracks of deposited material. The ability to deposit material on this scale opens up the possibilities of the alteration of the surface properties of small metallic components, the repair of fine damage such as fractures and wear and the fabrication of small components that require high dimensional accuracy such as dental and maxillofacial implants. In this paper a novel Laser powder micro-deposition system is described whereby powder is fed via a fine capillary. The system was used to deposit Ti6Al4V, a widely used implant material. The effects of processing parameters on the geometry and meltpool characteristics of deposited thin walls of Ti6Al4V is evaluated along with the effects of laser powder micro deposition on the microstructure, phase composition and mechanical properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy system.