Abstract
Titanium and its alloys are utilised in a wide range of diversified engineering applications. Its properties of low density, good corrosion resistance and high specific strength make it one of the most favourable materials in industrial applications. However, its applications are limited, due to its low hardness and poor tribological characteristics, which consequently reduce its life service. The surface integrity may be improved by surface modification, to extend its availability for more diverse industrial applications. Additive manufacturing is a commercially competitive manufacturing technique, with the possibility of altering the entire perception of design and fabrication. It offers suitable capabilities for the building and repairing applications in the aerospace industry, which usually requires high levels of accuracy and customisation of parts that generally use materials known to pose difficulties in fabrication, such as Titanium and its alloys. However, this process is currently at its pioneer stage; and very little is known about the fundamental physics of the process. Currently, the major problems faced in additive manufacturing include the evolution of residual stresses, leading to deformed parts and the formation of defects, such as pores and cracks...
M.Ing. (Mechanical Engineering Science)