Finite Element Modeling of Additive Manufacturing in Case of Metal Parts

Abstract

Metal Additive Manufacturing has grown from 3D metal printing; this technology leads to manufacturing parts using various metallic materials.
Additive Manufacturing technology uses the same principle of slicing a solid model into multiple layers and creating a tool path for each layer, then uploading this data to the printing machine and building the part up layer by layer following the sliced model data using a heat source (laser, electron beam, electric arc, or ultrasonic energy, etc.) and feedstock (metal powder, wire or thin metal sheet, etc.).
The Additive Manufacturing process starts with designing the prototype, continues with printer pre-processing, then with printing the prototype, and finally with post-processing to get the final part, followed by testing. This sequence has to be repeated till achieving the desired prototype. This method costs money and time. In this paper, the Simufact Additive Manufacturing software makes a virtual simulation to save time and money. In this virtual modelling, different types of materials can be used. Different approaches can be tested, such as building orientations with various parameters, changing supporting structures, and cutting and support removal to achieve a usable process, which is free from damaging effects on the first time that goes through the build. This paper deals with three types of metal alloys (TiAl6V4, AlSi10Mg, and 316L). Different types of machines, thermal analysis, mechanical calibration, thermal and thermomechanical calibration, were applied to find the set parameters such as laser power, inherent strains, exposure energy fraction, and volumetric expansion factor.