Materials5 min read
316L is the default starting point for a great deal of industrial metal additive work. It processes reliably, is ductile and weldable, resists corrosion well, and machines predictably after printing.
Typical characteristics
- Austenitic stainless steel with low carbon content.
- Good corrosion resistance, including in chloride environments.
- High ductility and toughness, including at low temperature.
- Non-hardenable by heat treatment; strengthened by cold work.
- As-built additive 316L is typically fully dense with fine grain structure.
Where it is used
- Fluid handling: manifolds, nozzles, housings with internal passages.
- Fixtures, jigs and production tooling.
- Marine, food and process equipment components.
- General engineering brackets, mounts and enclosures.
Post-processing
Stress relief is normally applied before removal from the build plate. Critical features are then machined, and surfaces finished by blasting, tumbling or polishing depending on requirement. Passivation is available where corrosion performance is critical.