CONSTELLIUM AHEADD ALUMINUM ALLOYS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY for LASER POWDER BED AM : BUILD PERFORMANCE, MICROSTRUCTURE and PROPERTIES

Constellium Aheadd® additive manufacturing (AM) aluminum alloys are specifically designed for laser powder bed AM to bring improved properties, higher AM productivity and simplified post-processing. Aheadd® CP1 is an Al-Zr-Fe alloy combining excellent strength, ductility, thermal/electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and surface finishing performance. Aheadd® CP1 delivers improved performance over Al-Si alloys or solutions based on 6061 and allows faster build rates, eliminates the need for complex heat treatments and improves geometric control through reduced residual stresses. Zirconium and iron diffuse slowly in aluminum, resulting in game-changing thermal stability over existing aluminum solutions. At a higher strength level, Aheadd® HT1 is a structural alloy based on the Al-Mn-Ni-Cu-Zr system targeting new designs or replacement of selected titanium or steel AM components with service temperatures up to around 300°C (572°F). This presentation gives results of AM process and post-process studies using several AM platforms, as well as resulting microstructures and product performance data.