Chemical mechanical polishing of powder bed fusion – laser beam processed 316 L stainless steel

Journal article, 2025

Additive manufacturing via powder bed fusion – laser beam (PBF-LB) enables the fabrication of complex geometries but suffers from inherently rough surfaces and surface tensile residual stresses, both of which can compromise structural integrity, particularly under fatigue loading. To address these limitations, this study investigates chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) as a surface finishing method for improving surface quality and modifying the residual stress state in PBF-LB 316 L stainless steel. The work uniquely examines how scan rotation (0° vs. 67° rotation) and contour parameters influence CMP effectiveness in material removal, surface smoothing, and subsurface stress redistribution. With a targeted material removal of 110 µm, CMP reduced surface roughness (Sa) by up to 94 %, achieving values as low as 0.7 µm. Microstructural analysis revealed no grain refinement but identified a thin, plastically deformed surface layer. This plastic deformation resulted in the transformation of tensile surface stresses (340 MPa) into beneficial compressive stresses (−400 MPa), as confirmed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction, which also showed a shift toward isotropic strain distribution. Further, these findings demonstrate that the initial scan strategy influences CMP performance and that CMP can enhance both surface integrity and mechanical reliability without altering the underlying microstructure. This study advances the understanding of how process induced microstructure and surface features affect CMP outcomes, enabling more informed design of post-processing strategies for improved surface integrity and mechanical performance in additively manufactured metals.