The Effects of Surface Finish and Post Process Finishing Techniques on the Fatigue Performance of Electron Beam Melted Ti-6Al-4V Material

The surface finish on the surfaces of electron beam melted (PBF) titanium is very rough and has a severe debit on the fatigue performance of the material. Additively manufactured test samples and surfaces were measured and characterized as built. Various post processing techniques were evaluated in order to improve the surface finish and fatigue strength of the additively built material. These include both thermal processing and post process surface finishing methods. The techniques and the effects on fatigue will be explored.