abstract
The great mechanical performance of 18Ni300 maraging steel, achieved during ageing treatment by the precipitation of fine intermetallic precipitates within a martensitic matrix, makes this material a good choice for demanding applications such as injection moulds for the automotive industry. Its ease of manufacture by selective laser melting (SLM) allows parts with a higher degree of complexity and the possibility of customised design. Nevertheless, a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the manufactured parts is important to understand the differences between components manufactured by SLM and those produced by conventional methods. In this work, the mechanical performance of a maraging steel 18Ni300 manufactured by SLM was compared with that of a commercial cast steel 18Ni300, as well as their tribological performance during dry sliding against a polypropylene matrix composite reinforced with 40 wt% E-glass fibres (PP40), a material commonly used in automobile parts and known for its abrasiveness. The results show that the steel manufactured by SLM and aged at 510 oC for six hours has higher hardness and better mechanical properties than the cast steel. Dry sliding wear tests of the aged steels against PP40 showed a 33% lower specific wear rate for the steel manufactured by SLM compared to the cast steel. These results can be explained by the refined microstructure resulting from the rapid cooling during the SLM process. Different wear mechanisms were found: abrasion was the predominant mechanism for the steel manufactured by the SLM process, while abrasion and adhesion were observed for the cast steel.
keywords
GRADE MARAGING-STEEL; H13 TOOL STEEL; MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION; AUSTENITE REVERSION; WEAR; POLYMERS; FRICTION; PRECIPITATION; TEMPERATURE; EVOLUTION
subject category
Automation & Control Systems; Engineering
authors
Ferreira, DFS; Miranda, G; Oliveira, FJ; Oliveira, JM
our authors
Daniel Filipe Santos Ferreira
PhD Student
Filipe José Alves de Oliveira
Principal Researcher
Georgina Miranda
Assistant Professor
J. Martinho Oliveira
Coordinator ProfessorGroups
G3 - Electrochemical Materials, Interfaces and Coatings
G4 - Renewable Materials and Circular Economy
Projects
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)
CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)
Desenvolvimento de novos compósitos de matriz metálica e termoplástica (NANO-SIM 3D)
acknowledgements
This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/50011/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC and co-financed by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, through POCI-01-0247-FEDER-039842 (NanoSIM 3D).