As part of an international research project (HiPTSLAM), the development and holistic processing of high-performance tool steels for AM is a promising topic regarding the acceptance of the laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) technology for functionally optimized die, forming and cutting tools. In a previous work, the newly developed maraging tool steel FeNiCoMoVTiAl was qualified to be processed by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) with a material density of more than 99.9% using a suitable parameter set. To exploit further optimization potential, the influence of dual-laser processing strategies on the material structure and the resulting mechanical properties was investigated. After an initial calibration procedure, the build data were modified so that both lasers could be aligned to the same scanning track with a defined offset. A variation of the laser-based post-heating parameters enabled specific in-situ modifications of the thermal gradients compared to standard single-laser scanning strategies, leading to corresponding property changes in the produced material structure. An increase in microhardness of up to 15% was thus obtained from 411 HV up to 471 HV. The results of the investigation can be used to derive cross-material optimization potential to produce functionally graded high-performance components on PBF-LB systems with synchronized multi-laser technology.

The optimization of battery electric vehicles requires advanced high-strength steels that combine ductility and toughness, enabling lightweight leaf spring constructions with improved performance. This study investigates processing optimization by comparing the newly developed 45SiCrV9Ni, previously identified as promising for stress peening and fatigue, with the conventional 51CrV4 as a benchmark. Dilatometric, mechanical, and microstructural analyses were conducted in as-supplied and heat-treated conditions. Both steels show excellent high-temperature ductility, making them suitable for hot forming under similar conditions. However, 45SiCrV9Ni requires a higher temperature for homogenized austenitization. After tempering, it consistently exhibits superior hardness and toughness compared to 51CrV4. Importantly, its ductility remains nearly constant over a wide tempering temperature range, allowing lower ones to be chosen without compromising strength or toughness, offering additional energy-saving possibilities. These results highlight the potential of 45SiCrV9Ni for leaf spring applications.