Abstract:
Additive manufacturing (AM) processes for metals do not have the same popularity as other materials due to development needs, innate safety concerns, and technological and operational costs. Among these, the laser powder bed fusion process (LPBF) has stood out in recent years mainly due to its differential advantages. In this process, the dynamics of molten pool formation is decisive for the performance of an LPBF product, including specific unique properties, such as its crystalline texture. Thus, weld pool formation, geometry, and overlaps are subjects of continued interest in the literature. Within this context, the present work reviews the main characteristics and conditions that control the formation and dynamics of weld pools, illustrating the information with records available in the literature and obtained by analyzing samples produced from Nb-48Ti alloy powders. Not only are the records made internally on the materials used, but their surface characteristics are also proven to reflect the microstructural evolution in which LPBF creates the parts. In conclusion, the work offers guidelines for establishing microstructural control conditions for a metallic product obtained by LPBF process.