This thesis examines the additive manufacturing of aluminum alloys, particularly AlSi10Mg, using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). It investigates methods to enhance mechanical properties for industrial applications, focusing on the interplay between process parameters, microstructure, and mechanical behavior. This includes postprocessing techniques like T6 heat treatment and the incorporation of ceramic nanoparticle reinforcements. The study on the effects of T6 heat treatments on the microstructure of LPBF’ed AlSi10Mg revealed that heat-treated specimens show a more homogenized microstructure, although it is impossible to completely eliminate all precipitates. The heat-treated samples exhibited significantly increased hardness values compared to as-built specimens, due to precipitation hardening and enhanced tensile properties.

However, heat treatment procedures are often time-consuming, expensive, and industrially labor-intensive. Material-level modifications can also be achieved by incorporating nanoparticles into AlSi10Mg before the printing process. The study found that reinforcing AlSi10Mg with TiC and Yittria Stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) nanoparticles improved mechanical properties compared to both as built and heat-treated variants without nanoparticles. The nanoparticles helped transform traditional columnar grains, which are prone to solidification cracking, into more equiaxed, strain-tolerant structures. The enhanced strength in as built parts was attributed to grain refinement, dislocation strengthening, and secondary-phase particle strengthening due to the addition of nanoparticles.