Ripple Formations Determine the Heterogeneous Microstructure of Directed Energy Deposition (Ded)-Printed 316l Components

•Reports the effect of laser directed energy deposition (DED) parameters on the multi-scale microstructure, as well as the nature and the characteristics of the morphological formations on surface, namely, ripple waveforms and scan tracks.•Establishes that the heterogeneities in the type, size and orientations of the microstructure and dendritic patterns on scan surface of DED-printed 316L components are informed by the ripple patterns.•The complex waveform patterns of the ripples and their variations with laser power indicate that additional phenomena beyond the Marangoni effect determine the mass transport in the melt pool regions in a DED process.