Abstract Scope |
In this study, two laser welding modes (conduction mode and keyhole mode) have been used to fabricate 304L stainless steel parts by the laser-foil-printing (LFP) process. Their tensile properties, fracture surface, microstructure, and porosity are measured and compared in the laser scanning (X) direction and the layer building (Z) directions. The parts fabricated by both modes are near fully dense, while the conduction-mode part has a slightly higher density than the keyhole-mode part. With this slightly deference in density, the yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) are statistically consistent in the ANOVA analysis. However, the elongations of conduction-mode parts are 9% and 32% higher than the keyhole-mode parts in the X and Z directions, respectively. The electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) patterns show their distinct grain growth orientations, which explains their elongation disparity. |