Characteristics of the bond in Cu–H13 tool steel parts fabricated using SLM

The paper is concerned with the fabrication of bi-metallic parts using a purpose-built rig and a Nd:YAG laser, the two materials being copper and H13 tool steel. Two types of bonds are identified and various characteristics of these bonds are studied. These include the microstructure using an optical and scanning electron microscopes, tensile strength and hardness of the bond. The diffusivity between copper and H13 tool steel is quantified by performing energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. The successful fabrication of two samples, each containing both types of bonds, is described.