This study aimed to characterize a 316L stainless steel powder and a component produced from the same powder batch using the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) process. SEM and EDS analyses, apparent density, tapped density, and pycnometric tests were conducted, alongside DSC and XRD analyses. The powders exhibited predominantly spherical morphology, with some variation in particle size and surface oxidation due to recycling and improper storage. Particle size distribution analysis using a Mastersizer 3000 revealed a fine powder fraction, with a median particle size (Dv50) of approximately 2?µm, significantly below the typical LPBF range. The crystalline structure of the powder was predominantly austenitic, with minor peaks that could correspond to ferrite or martensite. The component exhibited hardness values between 230 and 260 HV0.1, with a homogeneous distribution along both build and transverse directions. These results highlight the critical importance of powder condition monitoring for maintaining LPBF component quality.
Sequeiros et al. (Thu,) studied this question.