Additive manufacturing of NdFeB magnets by synchronized three-beam laser powder bed fusion

Abstract Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnet that is manufactured using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) machines has attracted attention since the complex magnetic parts can be directly manufactured. This study used LPBF systems with single and three-beam lasers to fabricate NdFeB components, and the effects of different process parameters (pulsed or continuous wave laser, powder layer thickness, laser power, and scanning velocity) on the magnetic characteristics were investigated. The results from the synchronized three-beam method using the two-zone scanning strategy improved the maximum magnetic energy product by 33.42 kJ/m3, and the processing time was decreased by 38% compared to the single-beam method.