AccScience Publishing / MSAM / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/MSAM026130022
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Strategies for high-quality fabrication of Inconel 625 parts via powder bed fusion–laser beam

Mohsen Afshani1* ,  Mariangela Quarto1* ,  Sara Bocchi1 ,  Gabriele Locatelli1 ,  Tommaso Persico2 ,  Gianluca D’Urso1
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1 Department of Management, Information and Production Engineering, University of Bergamo, Dalmine, Bergamo, Italy
2 Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Bergamo, Dalmine, Bergamo, Italy
MSAM, 026130022 https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM026130022
Received: 29 March 2026 | Revised: 23 April 2026 | Accepted: 7 May 2026 | Published online: 3 June 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Additive manufacturing, particularly powder bed fusion–laser beam (PBF–LB) technology, offers new opportunities for fabricating complex alloy components with enhanced design flexibility. Specifically, Inconel 625 (IN625), a nickel-based superalloy, is widely used in high-performance applications because of its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, the quality of PBF–LB-manufactured parts is highly sensitive to process parameters, especially the volumetric energy density (VED). This study investigated the effects of laser power (P) and scan speed (v) on the quality of IN625 samples produced via PBF–LB. A total of 60 samples were fabricated across three build plate rotation angles (0°, 90°, and 180°) and evaluated for porosity, surface morphology, and microhardness, revealing a clear correlation between VED and key quality metrics. Optimal material properties were achieved within a VED range of 66–100 J/mm3, whereas deviations from this range led to defects such as a lack-of-fusion, keyholing, and balling. Additionally, maintaining a balanced relationship between P and v while keeping the other parameters constant was found to be essential for proper melting and defect mitigation. The results further indicate that, under the tested conditions, the rotation of the build plate and the position of the specimen have no significant influence on the quality or properties of the part. Overall, the findings highlight the critical role of process parameter control in producing dense, defect-minimized IN625 parts via PBF–LB.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Inconel 625
Additive manufacturing
Powder bed fusion–laser beam
Process parameters
Volumetric energy density
Process optimization
Funding
This study was conducted within the MICS (Made in Italy-Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union NextGenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR)\u2013MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3\u2013D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors\u2019 views and opinions; neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.
Conflict of interest
Both Mariangela Quarto and Gianluca D’Urso serve as the Editorial Board Members of this journal, but were not in any way involved in the editorial and peer-review process conducted for this paper, directly or indirectly. All authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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