Fabrication of thin-walled Inconel 718 microchannels by LP-DED: influence of deposition strategy on geometric fidelity, surface texture, and post-processing feasibility via hybrid manufacturing

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) offers significant potential for fabricating microchannel heat exchangers (MCHEs) by overcoming the geometric limitations and material waste associated with conventional manufacturing methods. While laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) enables high-resolution features, it remains constrained in scalability, particularly for large or multi-material structures. In contrast, laser powder directed energy deposition (LP-DED) provides greater flexibility but faces chall