Revealing the Optimal Processing Window In Laser Powder Bed Fusion Stainless Steel 316 Using a Defect Map

Three-dimensional printing of metal is the process in which metallic materials are fabricated layer by layer. 3D printing is used to fabricate 24 cylindrical pieces of stainless steel, each at a different combination of laser power and laser scanning speed. Depending on the laser power and scanning speed of the laser, a specimen may have a varied amount of pores in the internal structure. An X-Ray machine is used to image the interior of each specimen to reveal the size and distribution. of those pores. This data is used to gauge whether the specimen has a passable internal structure or not. A plot of the laser power and scanning speed is drawn and the specimens with passable internal structure are outlined. This outline shows a window of printing parameters that are optimal for stainless steel that is used in this study. Further analysis of the porosity content is also provided.