Evaluation of the Possibility of Formation of a Controlled Structure by Changing the Technological Parameters of the LPBF Process

Abstract

The possibility is studied for a controlled structure to be created by varying parameters of the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process when using austenitic stainless steels as an example. On the basis of the results of studying the structure of experimental samples, the influence of a combination of various technological parameters included in the scanning strategy when preparing a 3D-model for the LPBF process on the structure formation processes is demonstrated. The possibility of formation of fragments with different structures within a single part in the course of its manufacture by the LPBF method via changing the processing parameters included in the scanning strategy is shown. It is noted that the use of 3D-models, identical in shape but different in the strategy used for laser beam scanning straight in the laser melting process, leads to the formation of a sample with a profoundly different structure, since microstructure formation strongly depends on metal crystallization conditions directly linked with the scanning strategy.