12th Tooling Conference & Exhibition - Tooling 2022

Electron beam powder bed fusion (E-PBF) is a promising additive manufacturing method efficiently used for materials susceptible to thermal cracks, like high-alloy cold work tool steels. The method provides high build chamber temperature, pre-heating of the build and slow cooling reducing thermal stresses during manufacturing. In this investigation, wear performance of conventional and E-PBF high-alloy (Cr-Mo-V) cold work tool steel in as-built and post-treated conditions was carried out. Friction behavior was continuously monitored during sliding testing, and after the tests material transfer indicating galling initiation point was investigated. Obtained results were discussed in correlation to mechanical properties and microstructures of the materials. It was found that as-built microstructure is substantially changed by post-treatment. At the same time, wear performance was less sensitive to changes in microstructure, and the E-PBF high-alloy (Cr-Mo-V) cold work tool steel showed generally similar performance as conventional material in both as-built and post-treated conditions.