Improvements of Metal Additive Manufactured AISI 304L and Ti6Al4V parts by using Laser Shock Peening as a post-process technique

Metal Additive Manufacturing has been recognized as a technology of the future providing numerous benefits such as the production of complex shape and lightweight parts, easy customization, design freedom, etc. However, there are many areas where metal additive manufacturing cannot be applied since the quality of produced parts still does not satisfy the requirements of high-demanding industries for the production of their critical parts. Recently, Laser Shock Peening (LSP) has been investigated as a post-processing technique in metal additive manufacturing, primarily for the improvement of fatigue behavior. Here we will present improvements in fatigue life, the analysis of microstructure, and all the benefits LSP can bring to Metal Additive Manufacturing, for two types of material; stainless steel AISI 304L and titanium alloy Ti6Al4V.