Abstract: A workpiece and associated method includes fabricating, employing an additive manufacturing process, a raw workpiece from aluminum alloy that includes silicon; heat-treating the raw workpiece to produce an intermediate workpiece, including subjecting the raw workpiece to a first temperature environment, wherein the first temperature environment agglomerates silicon particles disposed on a surface of the raw workpiece; cleaning the intermediate workpiece without removing the silicon particles agglomerated on the surface thereof; and applying a conversion coating onto the surface of the intermediate workpiece.

Abstract: A method for processing a raw workpiece into a final workpiece is described, wherein the raw workpiece includes a metallic structure including silicon particles dispersed therein. The raw workpiece is fabricated employing an additive manufacturing process, in one embodiment. The method includes heat-treating the raw workpiece to produce an intermediate workpiece, wherein the heat-treating includes subjecting the raw workpiece to a first temperature environment for a time period to produce an intermediate workpiece to form agglomerated silicon particles, wherein the agglomerated silicon particles are disposed on a surface of the raw workpiece. The method further includes removing the agglomerated silicon particles that are disposed on the surface of the intermediate workpiece.