Multi-material additive manufacturing of thermocouples by laser-based powder bed fusion

Multi-material additive manufacturing by laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) enables arbitrary material composition in components and thus enables the manufacturing of so-called smart parts. By combining different materials sensoric structures can be implemented into components. This paper investigates the possibilities to manufacture thermocouples (TC) consisting of two nickel-based alloys by the means of PBF-LB. These alloys are qualified to achieve sufficient relative densities for the thermocouples. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity of the parts is measured and compared to literature values. Finally, additively manufactured thermocouples are tested in comparison to conventional thermocouples in the temperature range from 50 to 350°C.