A study of α variant selection in laser solid forming Ti-6Al-4V

The α variant selection of integral as-deposited Ti-6Al-4V prepared by laser solid forming (LSF) has been investigated by Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). Six types of α variants exist all areas in the deposited cuboid although its microstructure varies from basket-weave to Widmanstätten (and undeveloped basket-weave) to ultrafine basket-weave along building direction. Clusters of three α variants always dominate in medium steady zone until the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET transition) occurs. α variant selection causes strong alteration of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs), which might be correlated with self-accommodation of shape strains.