Effects of Process Parameters on the Dimensions and Mechanical Properties of L-DED AISI 316L Stainless Steel

Abstract

In this study, AISI 316L stainless steels were manufactured by the L-DED process with various laser scanning speeds and laser powers, in order to analyze how volumetric energy density (VED) can affect their final shape, microstructure and mechanical properties. Under various VED conditions, it was found that a higher VED decreases the formation of lack of fusion when the powder feed rate is adequate, and the ratio of VED and powder feed rate affect the dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the L-DED processed AISI 316L were not significantly influenced by the laser scanning speed when the same VED was used, indicating that the solidification rate and solidification cell size are mainly determined by the VED.