Textures formed in a CoCrMo alloy by selective laser melting

Abstract Unique crystal textures formed by selective laser melting of a CoCrMo alloy were characterized by electron backscattered diffraction. Preferred crystallographic orientations were found for individual grains in the solid alloy microstructure. Along the building or radial grain growth direction in the rapidly cooling melt pool the formed columnar grains were not purely 〈0 0 1〉 or 〈1 1 1〉, as reported before, but a concurrence of 〈0 0 1〉 and 〈0 1 1〉. Along the scanning direction, a (0 1 1)〈1 0 0〉 texture was limited to the outmost surface whereas in the solid bulk the preferred orientation was a 〈0 0 1〉 fiber texture.