Effect of Powder Feedstock on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the 316L Stainless Steel Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

Additive manufacturing by selective laser melting (SLM) was used to investigate the effect of powder feedstock on 316L stainless steel properties include microstructure, relative density, microhardness and mechanical properties. Gas atomized SS316L powders of three different particle size distribution were used in this study. Microstructural investigations were done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Tensile tests were performed at room temperatures. Microstructure characterization revealed the presence of hierarchical structures consisting of solidified melt pools, columnar grains and multiform shaped sub-grains. The results showed that the SLM sample from the fine powder obtained the highest mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 611.9 ± 9.4 MPa and yield strength (YS) of 519.1 ± 5.9 MPa, and an attendant elongation (EL) of 14.6 ± 1.9%, and a maximum of 97.92 ± 0.13% and a high microhardness 291 ± 6 HV0.1. It has been verified that the fine powder (~16 μm) could be used in additive manufacturing with proper printing parameters.