Laser Metal Deposition of Titanium Composites: A Review

Composite materials are used for the manufacturing of light weight components and structures in many industries. Composite materials are obtained by combining materials with preferred properties and by synthesizing a new material using two or more materials having the desired properties. The composite material obtained has an enhanced proportion of the desired property of each of the constituent materials. Titanium alloy has been modified by adding another material to it to form titanium composites. Its properties make it suitable for most applications where low density and good corrosion resistance is necessary such as in turbine engine components, high-performance automotive parts, aircraft structural components, marine applications, aerospace fasteners, medical devices, biomedical applications (implant and prostheses) and sport equipment. Titanium composites are often used for surface modification to improve certain mechanical properties. The efficient fabrication of these composite materials is a significant challenge faced by manufacturers. The advent of additive manufacturing technology made it easier to fabricate composite materials like titanium. Laser metal deposition, an additive manufacturing process, is a process that offers excellent opportunities in fabrication of titanium and its composites. This process also helps to fabricate complex and innovative parts which cannot be effectively manufactured using substantial manufacturing process. This paper provides an overview of laser metal deposition processes used for fabricating titanium composites.