The main challenge to researchers in friction stir welding (FSW) of steels and high-temperature alloys, using pin tools from refractory metal alloys such as W-25 wt.% Re alloys, is to develop the tools that stand the process of harsh conditions. Most recently, laser powder sintering to consolidate W-25 wt.% Re alloys has shown promising results in producing pin tools for FSW. These results are the motivation for this research work to consider using a laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (LPBF-AM) process for consolidating W-25wt% Re powder alloys, in two steps. First, using finite element modeling to identify the levels of the LPBF-AM process parameters that will produce a pin tool that has the desired mechanical and physical properties for FSW welding steels and high-temperature alloys. Second, using the identified process parameters to produce an experimental pin tool and evaluate its suitability for welding steels and high-temperature alloys, with respect to tool's mechanical and physical properties. The results of the finite elements modeling have been published in an MSEC2024-121879 paper. This paper presents the results of evaluating the experimental pin tools of W-25wt% Re, produced using the LPBF-AM process, with respect to their microstructure, relative density, and micro-hardness under different process parameters. The properties of the consolidated pin tools matched those required for FSW of steels and high-temperature alloys. The results of this research have been validated by comparing them with the results of similar research work in the literature.
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