In the present paper, AISI 316L stainless steel hollow thin-walled cylinders were fabricated via laser engineered net shaping (LENS), which have been described in details. It is found that z-axis increment (delta Z) has significant effects on the geometrical features, mechanical, and metallurgical properties via single factor experiment in the condition of optimized processing parameters (laser power, powder feed rate, shielding gas flow rate and scanning speed) unchanged. Therefore, it is observed that deviations of the diameter are caused by unstable working distance, inclination angles, and preheating condition. As a result, through analyzing and modifying structural defects, an optimized delta Z, practical scanning strategies, and high surface quality of the cladding hollow thin-walled cylinder have been obtained. Expanding these conclusions to more complex build geometries and a more comprehensive variety of processing conditions would allow for a better understanding of the laser deposition process for more ubiquity of LENS in the industry.