Nanoscale and Tensile-Like Properties by an Instrumented Indentation Test on PBF-LB SS 316L Steel

The mechanical properties of a defect-free laser melting (PBF-LB) deposit of an AISI 316L steel alloy were assessed by means of an instrumented indentation test (IIT), at both the macro- and nano-scales. The inherent non-equilibrium microstructure of the alloy was chemically homogenous and consisted of equiaxed grains and large-elongated grains (under the optical microscope) with irregular outlines composed of a much finer internal cell structure (under the scanning electron microscope). Berkovich and Vickers indenters were used to assess the indentation properties across individual grains (nano) and over multiple grains (macro), respectively. The nano-indentation over the X-Y plane revealed nearly constant indentation modulus across an individual grain but variable on average within different grains whose value depended on the relative orientation of the individual grain. The macro-indentation test was conducted to analyze the tensile-like properties of the polycrystalline SS 316L alloy over the X-Y and Y-Z planes. The macro-indentation test provided a reliable estimate of the ultimate tensile strength (UTS-like) of the alloy. Other indentation properties gave inconsistent results, and a post factum analysis was, therefore, conducted, by means of a new approach, to account for the presence of residual stresses. The already existing indentation data were supplemented with new repeated indentation tests to conduct a detailed analysis of the relaxation ability of compressive and tensile residual stresses. The developed methodology allows the effect of residual stresses and the reliability of measured macro-indentation properties to be examined as a function of a small group of indentation parameters.