Bio-corrosion of 3D printed 316L stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is a fabrication technology that is rapidly revolutionizing the manufacturing and construction sectors. This technology has emergedas an environmentally friendly manufacturing technology which brings great benefits, such as energy saving, less material consumption, and efficient production. There hasbeen a big rise in the application of the printed products for medical applications. However, metallic implants are susceptible to corrosion, depending on the microstructure, residual or service stresses, thermal history and final surface treatment used before implantation. The corrosion of metallic implants in the body is associated with some undesirable health problems. Also, rapid corrosion of implants can deteriorate their mechanical properties. Hence, the investigation of the corrosion performance of the biomedical metals fabricated by 3D printing is an important research line. The aim of this paper is presenting a detailed overview of AM applications in the medical industries by focusing on the corrosion aspects of the 3D printed 316L.