Beam shaping has seen rising interest in the AM industry and research field because of the increased level of
control over the spatial distribution of the thermal input during Laser Powder Bed Fusion, allowing for faster
build rates. This report investigates if the more uniform heat input offers benefits to the scanning of unsupported
overhanging structures. In-situ high speed video imaging is combined with post process surface characterization
to derive a relation between the scan parameters and quality of the overhang surface. The best results were
achieved at low energy densities, but no clear advantage of top-hat shaped laser spots over the standard Gaussian
beams is observed.Mechanical Engineerin
