Characterization of a Post Processed Titanium Cold Spray Additive Structure

Cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM), or metal 3D printing, can be used for making titanium parts. CSAM parts have high porosity and brittleness, which requires further post-treatment to improve the properties of titanium parts. Due to titanium's reactivity to oxygen, it needs costly protective inert gases, and the post-treatments become expensive. This study used an innovative thermo-mechanical treatment patented by CSIRO in post-treating CSAM structures from grade 2 and grade 5 titanium alloys. This successful and economic thermo-mechanical treatment can be best defined as in-situ electro-plastic treatment (ISEPT), which deploys electric current and load simultaneously on titanium strips.