This study investigates the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of type 316L stainless steel (SS316L) produced with sinter-based material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM). This technology has been shown to produce SS316L with microstructures and mechanical properties comparable to its wrought counterpart in the annealed condition. However, despite plenty of research on SCC of SS316L, little is known about SCC in sinter-based AM SS316L. This study focuses on the influence of sintered microstructures on susceptibility to SCC initiation and crack-branching. Custom-made C-rings were exposed to different stress levels in acidic chloride solutions at various temperatures. To better understand the SCC behavior of SS316L, solution-annealed (SA) and cold-drawn (CD) wrought SS316L were tested for comparison. Results showed that sinter-based AM SS316L was more susceptible to SCC initiation than SA wrought SS316L but more resistant than CD wrought SS316L. Moreover, sinter-based AM SS316L showed noticeably better resistance to crack-branching than both wrought SS316L counterparts. The investigation was supported by comprehensive pre- and post-test microanalysis using light optical microscopy (LOM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)

Islas Huichas, located in Chile’s remote Aysén region, has long faced water scarcity due to a lack of natural sources. The community relies on rainwater collection pools managed by the Rural Drinking Water Committee (RDWC), which face increased pressure during the summer tourist season, leading to frequent shortages. In 2014, a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant with a 240 m³ daily capacity was installed to address the issue. While the RO plant helps alleviate summer shortages, it has high energy costs and maintenance challenges, exceeding the financial capacity of the RDWC. This study evaluates various scenarios to reduce the plant’s operational costs and emissions reduction.