Tribology of selective laser melting processed parts: Stainless steel 316 L under lubricated conditions

Selective laser melting is an additive manufacturing technology that produces metal parts; 316 L stainless steel is one of the most widely used material in the selective laser melting process. The tribology performance of selective laser melting processed parts is critically important for industrial applications but related studies are rare. In this study, friction and wear behaviors of 316 L stainless steel processed both by selective laser melting and traditional methods have been investigated using a ring-on-disc rig under lubricated conditions. The selective laser melting processed sample had molten pools, pores and fine grains in the microstructure, unlike the traditionally processed sample. The selective laser melting processed sample had slightly lower friction and wear than the traditionally processed sample when in contact with brass. When the selective laser melting and traditionally processed samples came in contact with a hard material, the differences in friction and wear were noticeable. The wear mechanism of the selective laser melting processed sample under the given contact condition has been proposed. Pores and refined grains in the selective laser melting processed 316 L stainless steel affected the friction and wear differently; consequently, both factors needs to be considered together.