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Multiphysics modeling and experimental validation of high-strength steel in laser powder bed fusion process

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Abstract

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a subset of the additive manufacturing process in which a laser beam selectively joins the metal powder into a desired part in a sequential layer process. Owing to its complex nature of rapid heating and cooling of the melt pool, there is a need to understand the melt pool behavior and its effects on the final manufactured part. A densely packed powder bed is highly desirable for fabricating a superior part using the LPBF process. In this work, discrete element model was used to generate powder beds with realistic powder properties and various factors affecting the packing density were studied. The powder beds generated were then irradiated with a high-power laser source to selectively melt the powder particles to study the melt pool dynamics using volume of fluid method. The effect of laser parameters like laser power and scan speed on the melt pool was studied using single-track and multi-track simulations. Multi-layer simulations were performed to replicate the actual LPBF process. The simulations were in close agreement with actual experimental efforts.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This project is supported from the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-20-2-0251). The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes, notwithstanding any copyright notation herein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, 65409, USA

    M. Rangapuram, F. W. Liou & K. Chandrashekhara

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, 65409, USA

    S. Babalola, J. W. Newkirk & L. N. Bartlett

  3. DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, FCDD-RLW, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 21005, USA

    Stephen R. Cluff

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  1. M. Rangapuram
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Correspondence to K. Chandrashekhara.

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Rangapuram, M., Babalola, S., Newkirk, J.W. et al. Multiphysics modeling and experimental validation of high-strength steel in laser powder bed fusion process. Prog Addit Manuf (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40964-023-00532-6

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