AccScience Publishing / MSAM / Volume 5 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.36922/MSAM026040008
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Influence of laser power and hatch spacing on the mechanical properties of AlSi10Mg processed by selective laser melting

Xabier Sandua1,2 ,  Eneko Arbizu1 ,  Álvaro Rodríguez1,3 ,  Fernando Veiga1* ,  Miguel Ángel Martín1,2 ,  Pedro J. Rivero1,2
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1 Department of Engineering, Public University of Navarra, Campus Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
2 Institute for Advanced Materials and Mathematics (INAMAT2), Public University of Navarra, Campus Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
3 Department of Transportation and Maintenance of Vehicles, CIFP Fontecarmoa, 36600 Vilagarcía de Arousa, Pontevedra, Spain
MSAM 2026, 5(2), 026040008 https://doi.org/10.36922/MSAM026040008
Received: 24 January 2026 | Revised: 17 February 2026 | Accepted: 3 March 2026 | Published online: 18 May 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

Selective laser melting (SLM) of AlSi10Mg is widely used for lightweight engineering applications, but the combined effects of key process parameters on densification, microstructure, and mechanical performance remain incompletely understood. This study systematically investigated the combined effects of laser power (200–230 W) and hatch spacing (0.11–0.15 mm) on the densification, mechanical behavior, and microstructural characteristics of AlSi10Mg components fabricated by SLM. A statistically rigorous approach based on two-way ANOVA and ordinary least squares regression was employed to quantify the individual and interactive influence of process parameters on relative density, surface porosity, hardness, Charpy impact energy, and tensile properties. The results show that laser power is the dominant parameter affecting densification and impact energy, whereas hatch spacing exhibits no statistically significant influence within the investigated range. Maximum relative densities above 99.7% were achieved at low laser powers (200–210 W), while hardness increased with increasing power, reaching approximately 140 HV at 230 W. The highest impact energy was obtained at an intermediate laser power of 210 W, indicating a favorable intermediate energy input under the tested conditions. Tensile testing revealed that the highest ultimate tensile strength was achieved at 220 W with a hatch spacing of 0.15 mm, despite slightly lower density and hardness values compared to other samples. Microstructural and fractographic analyses demonstrate that tensile performance is strongly governed by solidification morphology and defect distribution rather than density alone. This systematic, statistically supported evaluation advances the understanding of process–property relationships in SLM AlSi10Mg and provides practical guidance for parameter optimization in engineering applications.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Selective laser melting
AlSi10Mg
Laser power
Hatch spacing
Funding
This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) under the project FactorIA (grant number: PLEC2024- 011165) and supported as part of the MMAM project by the Euroregion Nouvelle-Aquitaine Euskadi Navarra through the “Euroregional Innovation” program.
Conflict of interest
Fernando Veiga serves as the Editorial Board Member of the journal, but did not in any way involve in the editorial and peer-review process conducted for this paper, directly or indirectly. Other authors declare they have no competing interests.
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Materials Science in Additive Manufacturing, Electronic ISSN: 2810-9635 Published by AccScience Publishing
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