Analysis of the Suitability of Additive Technologies for the Production of Stainless Steel Components

This study presents a comparative analysis of three metal additive manufacturing processes: selective laser melting (SLM), also known as powder bed fusion (PBF); binder jetting (BJ); and atomic diffusion additive manufacturing (ADAM), a form of Material Extrusion (MEX). It focuses on the geometric and dimensional accuracy of ADAM-fabricated 17-4 PH stainless steel components, while AISI 316L stainless steel is the benchmark material for BJ and SLM technologies. In addition to dimension and geometry inspections, this study also measures the distribution of residual stresses and microstructural features of the printed components. Residual stresses were determined quantitatively to identify the internal state of stress developed because of each processing technology. The results reveal significant differences in dimensional accuracy, residual stress profiles, surface roughness, and microstructural characteristics among the three additive manufacturing technologies. The observed trends and correlations provide valuable guidance for selecting the most appropriate additive manufacturing technique based on required accuracy, mechanical properties, and product complexity.