A review on factors influencing mechanical properties of AlSi12 alloy processed by selective laser melting

AlSi12 has a high strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance properties. As a result, it has potential for use in the automotive and aerospace industries. However, AlSi12 is difficult to process using conventional manufacturing technologies because of its characteristics of having high thermal conductivity and reflectivity and flowability is low. It is necessary to explore how emerging manufacturing technologies can be used to effectively process it. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers great design freedom. For the AM of metallic parts, several technologies are in use, including selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting, laser engineered net shaping, and cold spray additive manufacturing. Among these AM processes, SLM technology is a cutting-edge manufacturing technique that has the potential to change the way people think about design and production. SLM of AlSi12 alloy presents unique advantages in producing components with high strength and low weight while having increased design freedom. However, there is a need for more information on how SLM can be effectively used to manufacture AlSi12 parts in a way that reduces defects without compromising the mechanical properties. Thus, this paper aims to review the factors that influence the mechanical properties of AlSi12 alloy printed parts produced using SLM. This information is useful in determining the factors that can be considered for manufacturing parts with outstanding characteristics.