Microstructure and mechanical properties of SS316L prepared by selective laser melting

In this work, 316L stainless steel samples were prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) and the effects of the bulk laser energy density on the resulting density and mechanical properties were evaluated. The results show that the density and mechanical properties of SLM 316L stainless steel first improved and then deteriorated with increasing bulk laser energy density. When the bulk laser energy density was 70.2 J/mm³, the obtained tensile strength and yield strength vertical to the building direction were 720 and 546 MPa, respectively, which surpass the design requirements for forged 316L stainless steel. The influence of the microstructure on the mechanical properties of SLM 316L stainless steel is also discussed. The purpose of this research was to provide experimental data and a theoretical basis for high-performance 316L stainless steel fabricated by SLM.