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A comparative study of the mechanical characteristics of additively and conventionally fabricated 17-4 precipitation hardened stainless steel

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Abstract

Precipitation hardened stainless steel, like 17-4PH SS, had received significant interest in various industries due to its high strength and corrosion resistance properties. This material may be produced with either traditional or modern manufacturing techniques. However, each carries its benefits and challenges. In this study, 17-4 PH parts produced by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and traditional manufacturing (wrought) techniques are characterized by different method like a tensile test, microhardness, and nanoindentation. The primary aim of this research is to examine the impact of heat treatment on the properties of 17-4PH, comparing specimens manufactured through L-PBF and conventional manufacturing methods. The investigation seeks to determine whether the heat treatment induces similar magnitude changes in both sets of parts, with an emphasis on utilizing a diverse range of characterization techniques for comprehensive analysis. Solution annealing followed by an aging process was employed to investigate post-heat treatment’s impact on the performance of 17–4 PH SS parts in both manufactured parts. Results showed that modulus and hardness of L-PBF additive manufacturing parts were lower than those of conventionally manufactured counterparts. Solution annealing and aging increased these properties significantly in both cases; however, both ductility and ultimate strength of 17-4 PH stainless steel parts produced via the additive manufacturing are still inferior compared to their wrought parts.

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Data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the SBI Faculty Summer Research Award at the School of Business and Industry, Jacksonville State University. We are grateful to Dr. Dana Ingalsbe for making the ORLAS Creator machine available to us. We would also like to thank Mrs. Natalia Esparragoza and Mr. Matt Rosser for their help in printing the tensile test specimens. Mr. Hisham Abusalma’s assistance with the tensile testing was invaluable, and we are also grateful to Mr. M. Sepahi for the heat treatment.

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  1. Xiaoqing Wang

    Present address: Central Engineering, Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Fort Washington, PA, 19034, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Technology Department, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA

    Hamid Eisazadeh

  2. Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA

    Sandeep Khadka & Philip Yuya

  3. Department of Applied Engineering, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL, 36265, USA

    Xiaoqing Wang

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Eisazadeh, H., Khadka, S., Wang, X. et al. A comparative study of the mechanical characteristics of additively and conventionally fabricated 17-4 precipitation hardened stainless steel. Prog Addit Manuf (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40964-024-00591-3

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