Experimental studies on mechanical properties of metal fused filament fabricated SS316L

Fused filament fabrication is a simple and commercially popular additive manufacturing (AM) technique for developing high-accuracy polymer-based materials. In this experiment, a retrofit type of setup was developed to manufacture stainless steel 316L–based products. The current study focuses on the encapsulation of stainless steel with polylactic acid to prepare the filament for 3D printing. The effects of printing parameters such as layer thickness, infill density, and extruder temperature on responses like density, surface roughness, micro-hardness, and material/filament consumption have been studied. A Box–Behnken design approach was employed to systematically evaluate 15 specimens under varying conditions. The results revealed that a maximum relative density of 97% was achieved with a layer thickness of 0.2 mm, an extruder temperature of 215°C, and a 100% infill density. Additionally, the optimized infill density demonstrated a significant effect on both hardness and surface roughness, confirming the importance of precise control over processing conditions for improving the performance of the printed parts. The findings contribute to the advancement of metal-polymer composite filaments in additive manufacturing, highlighting their potential for producing complex, high-performance components.