Laser powder bed fusion of 316L stainless steel to investigate the process parameters on densification

• Main Author: Koh, Yik Cheng
• Other Authors: Leonard Ng Wei Tat
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Engineering; Laser powder bed fusion; Densification; Stainless steel
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/176209
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This project investigates the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printing process for 316L stainless steel. The main goal is to understand how the printing parameters affect the density of the printed material. Various techniques are used to analyses the microstructure, porosity, composition, residual stress, and hardness of the printed samples. An optical microscope examines the microstructure and measures porosity to determine density. The samples are polished, imaged, and etched to reveal internal layers and study their features. X-ray diffraction assesses residual stress, providing insights into structural integrity. Vickers hardness tests measure hardness values to understand how densification impacts mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy identify composition variations between layers, indicating quality differences. Overall, this comprehensive study analyses how densification affects the microstructure, porosity, and hardness of LPBF- printed 316L stainless steel, contributing to optimizing printing parameters for improved material properties in additive manufacturing.