Selective Laser Melting of Maraging Steels Using Recycled Powders: A Comprehensive Microstructural and Mechanical Investigation

Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique designed to use a high energy density laser to fuse metallic powders for producing three-dimensional parts. So far, most studies of SLM have been focused on using virgin metal powders. There are few comprehensive studies on the microstructure and mechanical properties of SLM-produced parts using recycled powders, especially for maraging steels. In this study, we employ recycled steel powder (reused after 113 building cycles) in the SLM process to print multiple shaped components and systematically characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties (indentation, tensile, and Charpy testing). Our results show that maraging steel produced with recycled powder exhibit the nearly identical microstructure and mechanical properties (940 MPa yield strength, 1127 MPa ultimate tensile strength, 11 pct elongation, and 47.5 J room temperature impact fracture energy) to those produced using virgin powders. This study provides a useful generic guide towards using recycled metal powders in the SLM processing, promoting an economic solution to industrial productions.