Directed　Energy　Deposition　(DED)　technology　has　advantages　in　engineering　industry　due　to　its　fast-forming　speed　and　ability　to　produce　large　parts.　316　L　stainless　steel　has　been　widely　used　in　seismic　and　fire　resistance　of　steel　structures　and　marine　engineering　due　to　its　high　ductility,　fire　resistance　and　corrosion　resistance.　However,　the　mechanical　anisotropy　of　DED　printed　steel　plate　has　not　been　systematically　explained,　and　the　experimental　data　for　reference　is　relatively　scarce,　which　limits　the　application　of　this　technology　in　engineering.　This　paper　presents　uniaxial　tensile　test,　metallographic　test,　X-Ray　Diffraction　(XRD)　test,　and　semi-in　situ　Electron　Backscattered　Diffraction　(EBSD)　test　on　316　L　stainless　steel　plates　via　DED　process　in　0°,　45°,　and　90°　orientations　to　the　build　platform.　The　anisotropy　of　elastic　modulus,　Poisson＇s　ratio,　yield　strength,　tensile　strength　and　ductility　of　the　material　was　evaluated　by　mechanical　experiments.　The　phase　composition,　crystallographic　texture　and　deformation　mechanism　were　analyzed　by　microscopic　characterization　experiments.　The　results　were　used　to　analyze　the　relationship　between　macroscopic　mechanical　properties　and　microstructure,　and　it　is　found　that　grain　morphology,　inter-dendritic　and　single　crystal　properties　are　the　main　causes　of　mechanical　anisotropy.　The　anisotropic　constitutive　model　is　calibrated　by　the　experimental　results,　and　it　can　characterize　the　elastic　and　inelastic　anisotropy　behavior　of　DED　316　L　plate　well.　This　study　provides　a　method　to　explain　the　mechanical　anisotropy　behavior　of　DED　manufactured　parts　and　provides　data　support　for　the　constitutive　model,　which　can　be　used　for　the　study　of　anisotropic　behavior　of　other　additive　manufacturing　processes,　the　formulation　of　design　specifications　and　the　possibility　of　controlling　anisotropic　behavior　through　process　parameters.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd