Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) titanium alloy parts were successfully fabricated by laser melting deposition (LMD) technology in this study. Proper normalizing temperatures were presented in detailed for bulk LMD specimens. Optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electronic universal testing machine were used to characterize the microstructures, phase compositions, the tensile properties and hardness of the TC4 alloy parts treated using different normalizing temperature. The experimental results showed that the as-fabricated LMD specimens' microstructures mainly consisted of α-Ti phase with a small amount of β-Ti phase. After normalizing treatment, in the area of α-Ti phase, the recrystallized length and width of α-Ti phase both increased. When normalizing in the (α + β) phase field, the elongated primary α-Ti phase in the as-deposited state was truncated due to the precipitation of β-Ti phase and became a short rod-like primary α-Ti phase. In as-fabricated microstructure, the β-Ti phase was precipitated between different short rod-shaped α-Ti phases distributed as basketweave. After normalizing treatment at 990 for two hours with subsequent air cooling, the TC4 titanium alloy had significant different microstructures from original sample produced by LMD. The normalizing treatment methods and temperature can be qualified as a prospective heat treatment of titanium alloy fabricating by laser melting deposition.
Keywords: TC4 titanium alloy; laser melting deposition; mechanical properties; microstructure; normalizing temperature.