ABSTRACT: This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of AISI 316L stainless steel sheets under four processing conditions: as-received, TIG-welded, heat-treated, and post-weld heat-treated. Mechanical behavior, formability, and surface integrity were examined through tensile testing, microhardness measurement, surface roughness analysis, and forming limit diagram (FLD) construction, complemented by finite element simulations and microstructural characterization. Post-weld heat-treated specimens exhibited the highest tensile strength (612 MPa) and elongation (41.5%), attributed to improved phase uniformity and residual stress relief. TIG-welded samples recorded maximum hardness (210 VHN), while heat-treated sheets offered the lowest surface roughness (Ra = 1.8 µm). FLD results demonstrated a 20 % expansion in the safe deformation zone, confirming enhanced formability. Finite element analysis accurately predicted stress concentration zones corresponding to experimental failure regions. Overall, post-weld heat treatment proved to be a key approach for improving the mechanical integrity, surface finish, and manufacturability of AISI 316L components for structural and biomedical applications.
Academic Journal of Manufacturing Engineering (Wed,) studied this question.