Selective Laser Melting Process Parameter Optimization on Density and Corrosion Resistance of 17-4PH Stainless Steel

• Published in: Archives of foundry engineering 2023-01, Vol.23 (4), p.105-116
• Main Authors: Sahadevan, Priya, Selvan, Chithirai Pon, Manjunath Patel, G C, Bhaumik, Amiya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 17-4 ph stainless steel; Corrosion; Corrosion rate; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion resistant steels; corrosion studies; Corrosive wear; density; Laser beam melting; Lasers; Manufacturability; Martensitic stainless steels; Near net shaping; Pitting (corrosion); Precipitation hardening steels; Process parameters; slm; Sodium chloride; Specific gravity; Stainless steel; Wear rate
• ISSN: 2299-2944; 1897-3310; 2299-2944
• DOI: 10.24425/afe.2023.146685

The 17-4 PH Stainless Steel material is known for its higher strength and, therefore, extensively used to build structures for aerospace, automotive, biomedical, and energy applications. The parts must operate satisfactorily in different environmental conditions to widen the diverse application. The selective laser melting (SLM) technique build parts cost-effectively, ensuring near-net shape manufacturability. Laser power, scan speed, and hatch distance operating at different conditions were used to develop parts and optimize for higher density in printed parts. Laser power, scan speed, and hatch distance resulted in the percent contribution towards density equal to 73.74%, 24.48%, and 1.78%. The optimized conditions resulted in higher density and relative density equal to 7.76 g/cm 3 and 99.48%. Printed parts' corrosion rate and wear loss showed more stability in NaCl corrosive medium even at 75 °C than 1M of HCL corrosive medium. Less pitting corrosion was observed on the samples treated in NaCl solution at 25 °C and 75 °C at 72 Hrs than in HCL solution. Therefore, 17-4 PH SS parts are best suited even in marine applications.