In his research, Tejas Gundgire developed and validated a combined heat treatment and severe shot peening post-processing protocol for 3D-printed stainless steel that effectively eliminated harmful tensile stresses, hardened the surface, and produced a more stable, compressive stress profile. The resulting components demonstrated greater mechanical reliability and improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking, a major concern in demanding industrial environments.
“This combined post-processing route enables 3D-printed stainless steels to achieve the desirable residual stress distribution, surface integrity and durability required for real-world use in the energy, marine, aerospace, and medical sectors. It helps bridge the gap between laboratory prototypes and components ready for industrial deployment,” says Gundgire.
His research also extended this approach to binder-jet-printed stainless steel components, revealing that, while heat treatment increases their porosity, severe shot peening alone can significantly enhance their hardness and surface integrity.
“These findings help manufacturers to tailor post-processing strategies to different 3D printing technologies,” he concludes.
Tejas Gundgire’s research contributes to the growing understanding of how to make metal 3D printing more reliable, sustainable, and applicable to safety-critical engineering fields.
Public defence on Friday 31 October 2025
The doctoral dissertation of MSc Tejas Gundgire in the field of Materials Science and Engineering, titled Management of Residual Stresses and Surface Properties in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Built 316L Stainless Steel Components by Means of Post Processing, will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at Tampere University on Friday 31 October 2025 at 13:00 in auditorium K1702, Konetalo building (Korkeakoulunkatu 6, Tampere).
The Opponents will be Professor Mattias Calmunger from Linköping University, Sweden and Docent-Senior Research Scientist Heidi Piili from the University of Turku. Professor Minnamari Vippola from Tampere University will act as the Custos.