Resolving the Subsurface Residual Stress Maximum in Laser Powder Bed-Fused 316L Stainless Steel by Diffraction-Based Analysis

Abstract Laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) is a metal additive manufacturing process. Due to the complex nature of the layer-wise, repeated heating and cooling cycles, it tends to generate high-magnitude residual stresses. If not correctly understood and mitigated through in- or post-process approaches, these residual stresses can be detrimental as they are often tensile at the surface. However, determining the magnitude and location of peak tensile residual stresses is not trivial as they are often located subsurface. This work focuses on determining the magnitude and location of these deleterious tensile residual stresses in a PBF-LB/316L specimen. Two diffraction-based methods are used to reveal the relationship between the residual stresses and the underlying microstructure. On the one hand, high spatial resolution neutron diffraction is used to determine triaxial stresses from the bulk to a depth of 0.15 mm. On the other hand, laboratory X-ray diffraction coupled with electrolytical layer removal allows the biaxial residual stress depth profile to be probed from the surface to a depth of about 0.6 mm. The results show a good agreement between the two methods. The peak residual stress is shown to be 500 MPa, which appears as a plateau between 0.08 and 0.35 mm in depth.