The microstructure and precipitates of INCONEL 718 alloy (IN718) fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) are investigated. The matrix is comprised of the elongated γ grains along Z direction, tilting a few degrees. The microstructure mainly consists of a cellular–columnar structure with fine first dendrite arm space of 1–1.5 µm originated from the rapid solidification rate locally. The precipitates of the SLMed IN718 are confirmed to be a significant amount of Laves in the form of irregular bulk distribution, small amount of carbonitride and spherical Al₂O₃ particles in nanoscale. Some of the carbonitrides grow separately and some of the carbonitrides enwrap the Al₂O₃ fully or partly, forming the shell structure of the Al₂O₃–carbonitride. The reheating effect from the following layers to the previous layers have not reached the solid-state transformation temperature of the γ′ and γ″.

The grain growth mechanism of IN718 superalloy fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) was studied. Epitaxial growth with the same crystallographic orientation or rotating by 90° across the melting pool boundary and competitive growth in the same melting pool were observed. Either of the two patterns of epitaxial growth can maintain the same grain across the melting pool boundary. Competitive growth is determined by both the heat flow direction and preferred crystallographic orientation. In SLM, the grains grow along the preferred crystallographic orientation owing to a high solidification rate. The smaller the deviation angles between the heat flow direction and the preferred crystallographic orientation, the faster the grain growth rate.