Layer Thickness Optimization for Enhanced Productivity in PBF-LB of AISI 316L while Maintaining Mechanical Strength

Layer Thickness Optimization for Enhanced Productivity in PBF-LB of AISI 316L while Maintaining Mechanical Strength | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Layer Thickness Optimization for Enhanced Productivity in PBF-LB of AISI 316L while Maintaining Mechanical Strength Neri Volpato, Bruna Denardi, Henrique Rodrigues Oliveira, Maicow Roney Fiedler da Costa Machado This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642916/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 11 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology → Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB) technology played an essential role in the evolution of additive manufacturing (AM), particularly for its ability to build complex, challenging, and high-quality metal components. However, enhancing PBF-LB productivity and lowering its costs can help to fulfill its potential. Some studies have shown that increasing layer thickness can significantly impact productivity and that better results are achieved with fine powder. Only a few studies have systematically optimized layer thickness, accounting for its interactions with other parameters while balancing productivity and mechanical properties. Therefore, this work employed a series of experiments using commercial-grade AISI 316L stainless steel powder to establish a process window that improves productivity and cost-efficiency while maintaining mechanical performance. The methodology began with single tracks followed by cube studies, whose porosity was used to create a regression model. The optimized set of parameters predicted by the model was then selected for mechanical evaluation via tensile and impact tests and compared with reference samples and standard requirements. The results showed a refined microstructure, and tensile and impact testing met the main requirements of the specific standard, although pore volume increased. A significant 59% productivity increase was mainly attributed to reduced laser scanning and spreading time, resulting from fewer layers, leading to an estimated 55.8% reduction in manufacturing cost. Additive Manufacturing Metal Cost Reduction Layer thickness Powder Bed Fusion Mechanical strength Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 11 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 19 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 19 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 18 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 17 Feb, 2026 Editorial decision: Major Revisions Needed 11 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8642916","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":593945372,"identity":"374fa024-19b7-4039-bfa4-4a69fa413d62","order_by":0,"name":"Neri Volpato","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Neri","middleName":"","lastName":"Volpato","suffix":""},{"id":593945373,"identity":"df0efcad-1fee-46e3-8718-a243bb5b0c9c","order_by":1,"name":"Bruna Denardi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bruna","middleName":"","lastName":"Denardi","suffix":""},{"id":593945374,"identity":"01e1c906-e7c7-4579-b985-18f7259ff1ac","order_by":2,"name":"Henrique Rodrigues Oliveira","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Henrique","middleName":"Rodrigues","lastName":"Oliveira","suffix":""},{"id":593945375,"identity":"5db36311-c29f-49d3-b9fe-e81bd28c6cff","order_by":3,"name":"Maicow Roney Fiedler da Costa Machado","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABDUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACxgYogweEbOr5QeyEAuK1pCVIgvgJBkRZB9ZyOMHgAIiDR4tu++HGDx/btkXzt589+OFNBXOe8fnViR8eGDDI84sdwKrF7Exis+TMttu5M87kJUvOOcNWbHbj7WYJoMMMZ85OwK7lQGIbM++227kNN3gMpHnbeBi33Ti7AaQlweA2Di3nH0K0zL/BY/ybt02CcfOMs5t/4NVyA2rLhhs8ZkBbDBI38Pduw2/LjYdAv/y7nbvxTI6Z5ZwzCcYSN3i3WSQYSOD2y/n0hx8+nLmdO+/4GeMbbyr+y/H3n91880eFjTy/NHYtWIAEWKUEscpBgP8AKapHwSgYBaNgBAAAjDNqHgN5z0AAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2623-4706","institution":"UTFPR: Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maicow","middleName":"Roney Fiedler da Costa","lastName":"Machado","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-19 20:44:26","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642916/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642916/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17975-0","type":"published","date":"2026-04-11T15:59:30+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106809594,"identity":"64e7c312-89f5-4453-a181-1c691374b8f3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-13 16:11:44","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1688075,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PaperLPBFProductivityParametersMaterialbasis.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8642916/v1_covered_2dc6318e-1108-49a5-8b43-1cfc0b67e67a.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eLayer Thickness Optimization for Enhanced Productivity in PBF-LB of AISI 316L while Maintaining Mechanical Strength\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"the-international-journal-of-advanced-manufacturing-technology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"jamt","sideBox":"Learn more about [The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology](https://www.springer.com/journal/170)","snPcode":"170","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/170/3","title":"The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Additive Manufacturing, Metal, Cost Reduction, Layer thickness, Powder Bed Fusion, Mechanical strength","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642916/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8642916/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB) technology played an essential role in the evolution of additive manufacturing (AM), particularly for its ability to build complex, challenging, and high-quality metal components. 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