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

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.