TY - CONF A1 - Ávila Calderón, Luis T1 - Creep and fracture behavior of conventionally and additively manufactured stainless steel 316L N2 - A critical task within the frame of establishing process-structure-property-performance relationships in additive manufacturing (AM) of metals is producing reliable and well-documented material behavior’s data and knowledge regarding the structure-property correlation, including the role of defects. After all, it represents the basis for developing more targeted process optimizations and more reliable predictions of performance in the future. Within this context, this contribution aims to close the actual gap of limited historical data and knowledge concerning the creep behavior of the widely used austenitic stainless steel 316L, manufactured by Laser-Powder-Bed-Fusion (L-PBF). To address this objective, specimens from conventional hot-rolled and AM material were tested under application-relevant conditions according to existing standards for conventional material, and microstructurally characterized before and after failure. The test specimens were machined from single blocks from the AM material. The blocks were manufactured using a standard scan and build-up strategy and were subsequently heat-treated. The creep behavior is described and comparatively assessed based on the creep lifetime and selected creep curves and characteristic values. The effect of defects and microstructure on the material’s behavior is analyzed based on destructive and non-destructive evaluations on selected specimens. The AM material shows shorter creep lives, reaches the secondary creep stage much faster and at a lower strain, and features lower creep ductility compared to its conventional counterpart. The creep damage behavior of the AM material is more microstructure than defect controlled and is characterized by the formation and accumulation of single intergranular damage along the whole volume. Critical features identified are the grain morphology and the grain-boundary as well as the dislocation’s density. Micro-computed tomography (µCT) proves to be an alternative to metallography to analyze the creep damage. T2 - ASTM International Conference on Additive Manufacturing 2020 CY - Online meeting DA - 16.11.2020 KW - 316L KW - Creep behavior KW - Laser powder bed fusion KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Microstructure PY - 2020 AN - OPUS4-51823 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Suárez Ocaño, Patricia A1 - Ávila Calderón, Luis A1 - Agudo Jácome, Leonardo A1 - Rehmer, Birgit A1 - Mohr, Gunther A1 - Evans, Alexander A1 - Skrotzki, Birgit T1 - Effect of 700–900 °C heat treatments and room and high temperature tensile deformation on the microstructure of laser powder bed fused 316L stainless steel N2 - The effect of post-processing heat treatments on the hierarchical microstructure evolution and mechanical strength of the austenitic stainless steel 316L produced by laser powder bed fusion has been investigated. Heat treatments between 700 and 900 ◦C and 0.5 to 3 h, were applied to samples treated at 450 ◦C for 4 h. The results showed a stable microstructure at all studied temperatures and times in terms of grain size, morphology, aspect ratio, density of low-angle grain boundaries, and texture. However, temperature and time promoted the diffusion of segregated elements together with a reduction in dislocation density and disappearance of the cellular structure. This was associated with a reduction in hardness and tensile proof strength at both room and high temperature. In addition, microstructural characterization coupled with thermodynamic CALPHAD-based equilibrium calculations showed that the formation of carbides and intermetallic phases was already visible after annealing at 800 ◦C for 3 hours, although these intermetallics did not affect the tensile properties at this level. Analysis of the microstructure evolution after tensile deformation showed differences in the deformation mechanisms at room and high temperature, with twinning and martensitic transformation occurring at room temperature, the latter not widely reported for additively manufactured 316L. Finally, comparisons with similar materials produced under comparable conditions showed differences in the tensile properties, attributed to differences in chemical composition and the associated presence of stacking faults in the undeformed state. KW - Additive manufacturing KW - 316L stainless steel KW - Heat treatments KW - Tensile properties KW - Microstructure PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-632471 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2025.148469 SN - 0921-5093 VL - 939 SP - 1 EP - 24 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-63247 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ávila Calderón, Luis T1 - Assessing the low cycle fatigue behaviour of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V: Challenges and first results N2 - The understanding of process-microstructure-property-performance (PMPP) relationships in additive manufacturing (AM) of metals is highly necessary to achieve wide-spread industrial application and replace conventionally manufactured parts, especially regarding safety-relevant applications. To achieve this understanding, reliable data and knowledge regarding material’s microstructure-property relationships (e.g. the role of defects) is needed, since it represents the base for future more targeted process optimizations and more reliable calculations of performance. However, producing reliable material data and assessing the AM material behaviour is not an easy task: big challenges are e.g. the actual lack of standard testing methods for AM materials and the occasional difficulties in finding one-to-one comparable material data for the conventional counterpart. This work aims to contribute to end this lack of reliable material data and knowledge for the low cycle fatigue behaviour of the most used titanium alloy in aerospace applications (Ti-6Al-4V). For this purpose, two sets of test specimens were investigated. The first set was manufactured from cylindrical rods produced by an optimized DED-L process and the second was manufactured from a hot formed round bar. The test specimens were cyclically loaded until failure in the low-cycle-fatigue (LCF) regime. The tests were carried out according to ISO 12106 between 0.3 to 1.0 % axial strain amplitude from room temperature up to 400°C. The LCF behaviour is described and compared between materials and with literature values based on cyclic deformation curves and strain-based fatigue life curves. Besides, the parameters of Manson-Coffin-Basquin relationship were calculated. The microstructures (initial and after failure) and fracture surfaces were comparative characterized. Thereby, the focus lied on understanding the role of grain morphology and defects on the failure mechanisms and fatigue lifetimes. For this latter characterization, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro computed tomography (µCT) were used. T2 - 4th International Symposium on Fatigue Design and Material Defects CY - Online meeting DA - 26.05.2020 KW - Ti-6Al-4V KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Low cycle fatigue KW - Micro computed tomography KW - Microstructure PY - 2020 AN - OPUS4-50893 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Campos de Oliveira, Paula T1 - Advancing microstructural characterisation of ceramic cores for aerospace: from state-of-the-art to in-situ synchrotron X-ray computed tomography N2 - Ceramic cores are crucial for manufacturing turbine blades in aircraft engines, creating intricate cooling channels that improve engine efficiency and reduce emissions. During high-temperature casting, the cores undergo significant microstructural changes, including phase transitions, particle rearrangements, and porosity transformations, which can affect their properties and must be carefully controlled. State-of-the-art characterisation techniques for ceramic cores mostly rely on 2D methods, such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. While valuable, these methods are limited in capturing the 3D complexity of the material. Advances in X-ray computed tomography (XCT) offer a more comprehensive perspective on 3D microstructures, but conventional XCT often lacks the resolution and in-situ capabilities to study microstructural evolution under casting conditions. Synchrotron XCT (SXCT) addresses these limitations, offering high spatial and temporal resolution with features down to 1 µm, enabling in-situ investigations. This study highlights the potential of SXCT, revealing previously unseen 3D microstructural features in ceramic cores, such as agglomeration, porosity evolution, surface reactions, microcracking, and particle orientation. These findings provide a more realistic view of dynamic changes during casting, advancing the understanding of core behaviour. Despite its advantages, SXCT is still rarely used in the field due to challenges such as limited access to synchrotron facilities and sample movement artifacts. Future developments, including high-temperature and vacuum compatible CT setups, could enhance this technique, leading to a better optimisation of ceramics performance. T2 - XIXth Conference of the European Ceramic Society (ECERS 2025) CY - Dresden, Germany DA - 31.08.2025 KW - Synchrotron KW - X-ray Computed Tomography KW - Ceramic core KW - Aerospace KW - Microstructure PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64050 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Suarez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Exploring the impact of heat treatment on room and high temperature strength of 316L stainless steel fabricated by PBF-LB N2 - Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) enables the fabrication of 316L stainless steel components with superior strength and intricate geometries. The alloy PBF-LB/M/316L features a fully austenitic microstructure with hierarchical characteristics— such as fine dislocation structures, segregated elements, low-angle grain boundaries, and nano-dispersed silicates—that enhance strength and ductility. Additionally, it includes metallurgical defects and residual stresses. Apart from process control, heat treatments (HTs) are used to tailor the microstructure for specific loading conditions. This study investigate the effects of post-processing HTs on the hierarchical microstructure and tensile properties of PBF-LB/M/316L at room and high temperature. The heat treatments, ranging from 400 °C to 900 °C for 1 to 4 hours, focus on sub-recrystallization temperatures to preserve the microstructural hierarchy. The HTs applied had minimal impact on the grain shape, size, or texture of PBF-LB/M/316L. However, significant modifications occurred in the solidification cellular substructure after HTs at 800 °C and 900 °C, when compared to a heat-treated condition at 450 °C. HTs at 800 °C notably decreased dislocation density and enlarged cellular structures, though they remained partially intact. After 1 hour at 900 °C, the cellular substructure dissipated, correlating with a further reduction in dislocation density. These microstructural changes resulted in a decreased yield strength and increased work hardening capacity at both room and high temperature, highlighting the critical link between HT parameters, microstructural evolution, and mechanical performance. T2 - The 20th International Conference on Strength of Materials (ICSMA 20) CY - Kyoto, Japan DA - 02.06.2025 KW - Additive manufacturing KW - 316L stainless steel KW - Heat treatments KW - Tensile properties KW - Microstructure PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63914 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Suárez Ocano, Patricia T1 - Effect of heat treatment on the hierarchical microstructure and properties of 316L stainless steel produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M). N2 - Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB/M) of AISI 316L stainless steel has gained popularity due to its exceptional capacity to produce complex geometries and hierarchical microstructures, which can increase the yield strength while maintaining good ductility. Nevertheless, owing to high thermal gradients encountered during the process, the as printed 316L stainless steel often exhibit microstructural heterogeneities and residual stresses, which can limit its performance in demanding environments. Hence, employing heat treatments which balance the reduction of residual stresses while retaining improved static strength may be beneficial in various scenarios and applications. This study investigates the impact of post-processing heat treatments on the microstructure of 316L stainless steel manufactured via PBF-LB/M, along with its correlation with micro-hardness properties. To this end, 6 different heat treatments, i.e., 450 °C for 4h, 700 °C for 1h, 700 °C for 3h, 800 °C for 1h, 800 °C for 3h, and 900 °C for 1h, were applied to different specimens and Vickers hardness measurements (HV1) were performed in all states. At 800 °C, although the cellular structure appears to be retained, there is an observable increase in cellular size. However, while treatments exceeding 900 °C indicate no significant grain growth compared to other conditions, the cellular structure is entirely dissolved, which leads to a reduced Vickers hardness. The effect of the heat treatments on other microstructural features such as grain size and morphology, melt pool boundaries (MPB), crystallographic texture, chemical segregation, dispersoids and phase stability are also discussed in the present work T2 - 4th Symposium on Materials and Additive Manufacturing CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 12.06.2024 KW - Additive manufacturing KW - Heat treatment KW - Microstructure PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60304 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -