TY - CONF A1 - Suarez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Effect of the powder composition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel fabricated by laser powder bed fusion N2 - Additive manufacturing (AM) has seen rapid growth in recent decades, with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) emerging as the leading technique for producing high-density, geometrically complex metal parts. Austenitic stainless steel 316L is one of the most studied alloys for PBF-LB/M due to its excellent strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance [1]. The microstructure formed during PBF-LB/M processing can improve certain mechanical properties compared to conventionally manufactured 316L [2]. However, the current 316L standards allow broad ranges for key alloying elements, particularly Cr and Ni. While such variations have little effect on conventionally produced alloys, emerging evidence shows that they can markedly alter the microstructure and mechanical properties in PBF-LB/316L—even within specification limits [3]. This study investigates through microstructural and thermodynamical assessment, how two powders of nominally standard 316L composition (Alloys A and B) respond to identical PBF-LB/M processing parameters. Despite identical printing conditions, Alloy A exhibited twice the grain size and five times higher low-angle grain boundary (LAGB) density compared to Alloy B . Conversely, Alloy B showed a significantly higher density of Σ3 twin boundaries, nearly absent in Alloy A. These microstructural differences are attributed primarily to variations in Cr and Ni content in the liquid, which may influence icosahedral short-range ordering (ISRO) mechanism [4]. ISRO potentially facilitates twin boundary formation, ultimately refining grain structure [5]. This work highlights the critical impact of compositional control on final part microstructures and consequent mechanical properties and emphasizes the need to reassess compositional tolerances for AM-specific applications. T2 - 5th Symposium on Materials and Additive Manufacturing (Additive 2026) CY - Kassel, Germany DA - 24.03.2026 KW - Additive manufacturing KW - 316L stainless steel KW - Chemical composition KW - Lcosahedral short-range ordering mechanism KW - Grain size PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65738 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -