Unexpected heterogeneous texture in laser beam powder bed fusion under fixed process parameters

Laser beam powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) can manipulate material properties through control of texture. However, current research suggests homogeneous texture distribution in PBF-LB materials. The lack of investigation into texture heterogeneity may mischaracterize the properties of printed specimens. This study addresses this gap by exploring heterogeneous textures in PBF-LB SS316L. Through experimental analysis of cubic samples (10 × 10 × 10 mm) and those with varying heights (10–35 mm), we systematically characterized the texture of PBF-LB 316L samples. Then we uncovered the fundamental mechanisms that drive heterogeneous texture formation, revealing that significant texture transitions exist in different directions. Along the scanning direction, heterogeneous textures formed in the outer 25 % of the sample, while the core remained uniform. Additionally, a finite element analysis was used to discuss how to eliminate such heterogeneous textures. In the transverse direction, uneven heat dissipation at the edges led to a dominant <100>//BD texture in the outer 6 %, with the center retaining a <101>//BD orientation. Along the building direction, while no significant texture shift was observed in the 35 mm sample, increased inter-track remelting ratios with height caused localized <100>//BD stray grains to appear in the upper regions. This work offers new insights for controlling texture and tailoring properties in PBF-LB.