Non-oxide precipitates in additively manufactured austenitic stainless steel

Abstract Precipitates in an austenitic stainless steel fabricated via any Additive Manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, technique have been widely reported to be only Mn-Si-rich oxides. However, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) studies on a 316L steel, we show that non-oxide precipitates (intermetallics, sulfides, phosphides and carbides) can also form when the is Laser Metal Deposition (LMD)—a directed energy deposition-type AM technique. An investigation into their origin conducted with support from precipitation kinetics finite element heat transfer simulations. It reveals during solidification/cooling at temperatures ? 0.75T m (melting point) temperature rates ? 10 5 K/s, which upper end of maximum encountered LMD but lower than those Selective Melting (SLM)—a powder-bed type Consequently, should LMD, as this work, not SLM, consistency existing literature.