Demonstration of a High-Throughput Tensile Testing Technique Using Femtosecond Laser-Fabricated Tensile Bars in AISI 316 and Additively Manufactured Grade 91 Steel

Abstract

Femtosecond laser machining offers a fast, low damage route to fabricating features on the order of a few micrometers to millimeters. Within this broad application space, mechanical testing samples on this scale provides a combination of region selectivity and a bulk-like response. Use of such mechanical test specimens, however, is relatively unexplored compared to microscale and macroscale testing. The present study showcases the benefit of combining efficient specimen fabrication and testing on the mesoscale for extracting a more comprehensive picture of material mechanical properties. Moreover, a material with a complex and heterogeneous microstructure, additively manufactured grade 91, has also been studied to highlight the considerations needed and limitations of testing on this scale.