Marine Environment Effect on Welded Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel AISI 316L

This experimental study deals with the effect of the natural marine environment in the Adriatic Sea on the properties of the welded additively manufactured stainless steel AISI 316L. The welding of additively manufactured materials is of special interest to the maritime industry, which is seeking to introduce additive manufacturing technology in the repair and maintenance of ships and offshore installations. Three types of welded specimens were tested: a combination of two additively manufactured parts, a combination of additively manufactured and conventionally manufactured parts, and, for reference, a combination of two conventionally manufactured parts. The specimens were submerged below the sea for one, three, and six months. Once extracted, the specimens were tested for changes in mass, tensile strength, and surface morphology. The results show better behaviour of conventionally manufactured steel in the primary periods of exposure in terms of regaining tensile strength. EDS scans show the apparent influence of the sea, underlining the importance of conducting such experiments in the natural marine environment. The research highlights include exposure to the natural marine environment for prolonged periods and testing different additively and conventionally welded steel AISI 316L configurations.