Laser-stirred powder bed fusion

1. An additive manufacturing process, comprising:

(a) providing a first layer of powdered material, wherein the first layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(b) using a laser that follows a predetermined linear path across the first layer of powdered material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the first layer, wherein the predetermined linear path of the laser creates a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the fused powdered material;

(c) providing a second layer of powdered material, wherein the second layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(d) using a laser that follows a predetermined linear path across the second layer of material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the second layer, wherein the predetermined linear path of the laser creates a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the fused powdered material;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) until a complete part or component is built; and

(f) removing any unfused powdered material from the complete part or component.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the powdered material includes at least one aluminum alloy.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the powdered material includes Inconel 718, 316L stainless steel, Ti-6Al-4V, or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hatches are circular.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hatches are elliptical.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hatching alters build microstructure from that of linear hatching.

7. An additive manufacturing process, comprising:

(a) providing a first layer of powdered material, wherein the first layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(b) creating a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the first layer of powdered material using a laser beam that follows a predetermined path that proceeds incrementally in a linear direction across the first layer of powdered material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the first layer, and wherein the predetermined path of the laser beam is a repeating oscillating path;

(c) providing a second layer of powdered material, wherein the second layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(d) creating a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the second layer of powdered material using a laser beam that follows a predetermined path that proceeds incrementally in a linear direction across the second layer of powdered material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the second layer, and wherein the predetermined path of the laser beam is a repeating oscillating path;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) until a complete part or component is built; and

(f) removing any unfused powdered material from the complete part or component.

8. The process of claim 7 , further comprising creating a predetermined balance between heat input, oscillation travel speed, linear travel speed, and thermal response time of the powdered material being processed.

9. The process of claim 7 , wherein the powdered material includes at least one aluminum alloy having predetermined grain characteristics.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the process increases grain refinement in the at least one aluminum alloy.

11. The process of claim 7 , wherein the powdered material includes Inconel 718, 316L stainless steel, Ti-6Al-4V, or a combination thereof.

12. The process of claim 7 , wherein the repeating oscillating path is circular.

13. The process of claim 7 , wherein the repeating oscillating path is elliptical.

14. The process of claim 7 , wherein the frequency of the oscillating beam path is at least 7500 Hz.

15. An additive manufacturing process, comprising:

(a) providing a first layer of powdered material, wherein the first layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(b) creating a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the first layer of powdered material using a laser beam that follows a predetermined path that proceeds incrementally in a linear direction across the first layer of powdered material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the first layer, and wherein the predetermined path of the laser beam is a repeating oscillating path that is either circular or elliptical;

(c) providing a second layer of powdered material, wherein the second layer of powdered material has a predetermined thickness;

(d) creating a series of immediately adjacent curvilinear hatches or partially overlapping curvilinear hatches in the second layer of powdered material using a laser beam that follows a predetermined path that proceeds incrementally in a linear direction across the second layer of powdered material to fuse a portion of the powdered material in the second layer, and wherein the predetermined path of the laser beam is a repeating oscillating path that is either circular or elliptical;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) until a complete part or component is built; and

(f) removing any unfused powdered material from the complete part or component.

16. The process of claim 15 , further comprising creating a predetermined balance between heat input, laser beam travel speed, linear travel speed, and thermal response time of the powdered material being processed.

17. The process of claim 15 , wherein the powdered material includes at least one aluminum alloy having predetermined grain characteristics.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein the process increases grain refinement in the at least one aluminum alloy.

19. The process of claim 15 , wherein the powdered material includes Inconel 718, 316L stainless steel, Ti-6Al-4V, or a combination thereof.

20. The process of claim 17 , wherein the frequency of the circular or elliptical beam path is at least 7500 Hz.