Influence of SLM parameters on the compressive behaviour of lattice structures in 17-4PH stainless steel

Additive manufacture (AM) technologies allow innovative structural design, including complex lattice structures. Selective laser melting (SLM) is an AM process that enables the manufacture of space filling lattice structures. Lattice structures are topologically ordered, three-dimensional open-celled structures composed of one or more repeating unit cells. From a mechanical designer viewpoint, a great advantage offered by cellular materials is high strength accompanied by a relatively low mass. Due to their complex structure, fine geometry and the absence of supports structures, the setting of the best parameters to print lattice structures is difficult and could negative influence their mechanical response. This study investigated how different parameters settings influence the compression behaviour of lattice structures in stainless steel 17-4PH (AISI-630) printed by SLM. A comparison between compressive response of structures printed with different parameters is presented and considerations about their behaviour exposed.