SURFING is a research project tackling the rapidly growing field of metal Additive Manufacturing (metal AM), which provides design freedom in such a way that traditional technologies cannot achieve. However, metal AM is not free of drawbacks: the quality of the surface and the mechanical performance of AM parts are often not satisfactory for the final destination of use; moreover, a complete comprehension of the effects of all process parameters is still missing. The goal of SURFING is to provide valuable contributions to scientific research on metal AM. The goal is pursued in two ways: writing of a Review Paper regarding the effects of one specific parameter (build orientation) on physical and mechanical properties of final parts; and development of an experimental campaign to investigate the effects of two selected post-treatments on standard specimens. In addition, some effects of building orientation were experimentally analysed. The choice of the technology (L-PBF) and the material (Ti6Al4V) were driven by current market trends. A full characterisation of raw material and specimens before and after the post-treatments was executed, to realise a comprehensive study of the metal AM process. The two post-treatments were chosen between those available on the market, contemplating that they rely on very different operating principles. Both were expected to improve the properties of the final part: the characterization process quantitively evaluated such effect through the comparison of treated and non-treated specimens. SURFING results were consistent, and they confirmed the effectiveness of such treatments. Thus, they are expected to be of interest for final users (i.e., companies leveraging on metal AM) to evaluate applications on their products. These findings also constitute a solid basis for further research on hybrid treatments, different materials and technologies. Finally, SURFING considered the time and costs required for the processes, conscious of the relevance of these aspects in the industrial world.
