This study investigates the effect of process stopping and restarting on the microstructure and local nanoindentation properties of 316L stainless steel manufactured via selective laser melting (SLM). We find that stopping the SLM process midway, exposing the substrate to air having an oxygen concentration of 22% or more for 12 h, and subsequently restarting the process, makes little difference to the density of the restarted area (~ 99.8%) as compared to the previously melted area of the substrate below. While the microstructure and pore distribution near the stop/restart area changes, this modified process does not induce the development of unusual features, such as an inhomogeneous microstructure or irregular pore distribution in the substrate. An analysis of the stiffness and hardness values of the nano-indented steel also reveals very little change at the joint of the stop/restart area. Further, we discuss the possible and effective follow-up actions of stopping and subsequently restarting the SLM process.

Selective laser melting (SLM), a type of additive manufacturing (AM) technology, leads a global manufacturing trend by enabling the design of geometrically complex products with topology optimization for optimized performance. Using this method, three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) data components can be built up directly in a layer-by-layer fashion using a high-energy laser beam for the selective melting and rapid solidification of thin layers of metallic powders. Although there are considerable expectations that this novel process will overcome many traditional manufacturing process limits, some issues still exist in applying the SLM process to diverse metallic materials, particularly regarding the formation of porosity. This is a major processing-induced phenomenon, and frequently observed in almost all SLM-processed metallic components. In this study, we investigate the mechanical anisotropy of SLM-produced 316L stainless steel based on microstructural factors and highly-oriented porosity. Tensile tests are performed to investigate the microstructure and porosity effects on mechanical anisotropy in terms of both strength and ductility.

In this study, STS316L powders prepared by gas atomization are used to manufacture bulk structures with dimensions of 10 × 10 × 10 mm3 using selective laser melting (SLM). The microstructures and hardness of the fabricated 316L stainless steel has been investigated with the laser beam overlap varied from 10% to 70%. The microstructures of the fabricated STS316L samples show a decrease in the balling and satellite of powders introducing defect in the bulk samples and the porosity caused by the gap between the molten metal pools disappearing as the overlap ratio increases, whereas a low overlap ratio results in significant balling and a large amount of isolated powders due to the increased gap between the melt pools. Furthermore, the highest value in Vickers hardness is obtained for the sample fabricated by 30% overlapped laser beams. These results show that the overlap ratio of laser beams in the SLM process should be considered as an important process parameter.

In this study, nitrogen ions were implanted into STS 316L austenitic stainless steel by plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) to improve the corrosion resistance. The implantation of nitrogen ions was performed with bias voltages of −5, −10, −15, and −20 kV. The implantation time was 240 min and the implantation temperature was kept at room temperature. With nitrogen implantation, the corrosion resistance of 316 L improved in comparison with that of the bare steel. The effects of nitrogen ion implantation on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of the specimen were investigated by the potentiodynamic polarization test, which was conducted in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution at 70 oC. The phase evolution and texture caused by the nitrogen ion implantation were analyzed by an X-ray diffractometer. It was demonstrated that the samples implanted at lower bias voltages, i.e., 5 kV and 10 kV, showed an expanded austenite phase, γN, and strong (111) texture morphology. Those samples exhibited a better corrosion resistance.

The present work investigated the dispersion behavior of Y2O3 particles into AISI 316L SS manufactured using laser cladding technology. The starting particles were produced by high energy ball milling in 10 min for pre- alloying, which has a trapping effect and homogeneous dispersion of Y2O3 particles, followed by laser cladding using CO2 laser source. The phase and crystal structures of the cladded alloys were examined by XRD, and the cross section was characterized using SEM. The detailed microstructure was also studied through FE-TEM. The results clearly indi- cated that as the amount of Y2O3 increased, micro-sized defects consisted of coarse Y2O3 were increased. It was also revealed that homogeneously distributed spherical precipitates were amorphous silicon oxides containing yttrium. This study represents much to a new technology for the manufacture and maintenance of ODS alloys.

Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) is a promising material for use in many potential applications because of its outstanding physical properties such as high thermal stability, high abrasive wear resistance, and super hardness. Even though 316L austenitic stainless steel (STS) has poor wear resistance causing it to be toxic in the body due to wear and material chips, 316L STS has been used for implant biomaterials in orthopedics due to its good corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Therefore, in the present study, c-BN films with a B4C layer were applied to a 316L STS specimen in order to improve its wear resistance. The deposition of the c-BN films was performed using an r.f. (13.56 MHz) magnetron sputtering system with a B4C target. The coating layers were characterized using XPS and SEM, and the mechanical properties were investigated using a nanoindenter. The friction coefficient of the c-BN coated 316L STS steel was obtained using a pin-on-disk according to the ASTM G163-99. The thickness of the obtained c-BN and B4C were about 220 nm and 630 nm, respectively. The high resolution XPS spectra analysis of B1s and N1s revealed that the c-BN film was mainly composed of sp3 BN bonds. The hardness and elastic modulus of the c-BN measured by the nanoindenter were 46.8 GPa and 345.7 GPa, respectively. The friction coefficient of the c-BN coated 316L STS was decreased from 3.5 to 1.6. The wear property of the c-BN coated 316L STS was enhanced by a factor of two.

Two kinds of oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) 316L stainless steel were manufactured using a wet mixing process(wet) and a mechanical alloying method (MA). An MA 316L ODS was prepared by a mixing of metal powder and a mechanical alloying process. A wet 316L ODS was manufactured by a wet mixing with 316L stainless steel powder. A solution of yttrium nitrate was dried after being in the wet 316L ODS alloy. The results showed that carbon and oxygen were effectively reduced during the degassing process before the hydroisostatic process (HIP) in both alloys. It appeared that the effect of HIP treatment on increase in impact energy was pronounced in the MA 316L ODS alloy. The MA 316L ODS alloy showed a higher yield strength and a smaller elongation, when compared to the wet 316L ODS alloy. This seemed to be attributed to the enhancement of bonding between oxide and matrix particles from HIP and to the presence of a finer oxide of about 20 nm from the MA process in the MA 316L ODS alloy.

Austenitic oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) stainless steel was fabricated using a wet mixing process without a mechanical milling in order to reduce contaminations of impurities during their fabrication process. Solution of yttrium nitrate was dried after a wet mixing with 316L stainless steel powder. Carbon and oxygen contents were effectively reduced by this wet processing. Microstructural analysis showed that coarse yttrium silicates of about 150 nm were formed in austenitic ODS steels with a silicon content of about 0.8 wt%. Wet-processed austenitic ODS steel without silicon showed higher yield strength by the presence of finer oxide of about 20 nm.