Effect of Laser Speed and Hatch Spacing on the Corrosion Behavior of 316L Stainless Steel Produced by Selective Laser Melting

In this work, the corrosion properties of 316L stainless steel (SS) obtained by selective laser melting (SLM) are analyzed. The electrochemical results of samples manufactured with an energy density between 40 and 140 J/mm(3) are compared using different hatch distances and laser speeds. The analysis correlates the impact of the microstructure and processing defects of SLM 316L stainless steel on its behavior against corrosion. The optimal manufacturing conditions were selected considering the electrochemical results. Although the samples obtained with an energy density close to 90 J/mm(3) show a high resistance to corrosion, their performance depends on the combination of selected parameters, obtaining the best results for an intermediate laser speed and a low hatch distance. These manufacturing conditions produce a higher breakdown potential, a faster repassivation of the steel and reduce the current density on electrochemical test.