High-Temperature Tensile Behavior of Wrought and SLM-Fabricated Inconel 718: Effects of Build Orientation and Finite Element Modeling

Additive manufacturing enables the production of geometrically complex nickel-based superalloy components, but the high-temperature tensile response of selective laser-melted Inconel 718 remains strongly dependent on manufacturing route and build orientation. In this study, the tensile behavior of Inconel 718 specimens machined from wrought bar stock and fabricated by selective laser melting in horizontal and vertical build orientations was investigated at 23 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C and 750 °C. The experimental values were used in a finite element simulation to create a model that can accurately predict the mechanical behavior of IN718. The results show that the X-oriented SLM specimens exhibit tensile properties comparable to those of the wrought material, whereas the Z-oriented specimens display reduced strength and increased scatter, highlighting the effect of build orientation on mechanical performance. The numerical simulations reproduced the experimental stress–strain response with good agreement within the elastic and plastic deformation regimes, demonstrating the suitability of the proposed modeling approach for high-temperature structural assessment of Inconel 718 components manufactured by conventional and additive technologies.