Comparing the Performance of Rolled Steel and 3D-Printed 316L Stainless Steel

Three-dimensional printing is a non-conventional additive manufacturing process. It is different from the conventional subtractive manufacturing process. It offers exceptional rapid prototyping capabilities and results that conventional subtractive manufacturing methods cannot attain, especially in applications involving curved or intricately shaped components. Despite its advantages, metal 3D printing will face porosity, warpage, and surface roughness issues. These issues will affect the future practical application of the parts indirectly, for example, by affecting the structural strength and the parts’ assembly capability. Therefore, this study compares the qualities of the warpage, weight, and surface roughness after milling and grinding processes for the same material (316L stainless steel) between rolled steel and 3D-printed steel. The experimental results show that 3D-printed parts are approximately 13% to 14% lighter than rolled steel. The surface roughness performance of 3D-printed steel is better than that of rolled steel for the same material after milling or grinding processing. The hardness of the 3D-printed steel is better than that of the rolled steel. This research verifies that 3D additive manufacturing can use surface processing to optimize surface performance and achieve the functions of lightness and hardness.