Simulations of Laser Assisted Additive Manufacturing by Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

Abstract

In this paper, we present a 3D Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) model with powder resolved to simulate complex Laser Assisted Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) processes. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the most comprehensive and complete SPH model for LAAM simulations to date. Major and important underlying physical processes are considered in the model. These include the transient powder–laser interaction, heat transfer, formation and dynamics of the melt-pool, powder-melt-pool interaction, and the phase change. The model is validated for many individual processes. These validation results show that the model is stable, accurate and promising for simulations of complete LAAM processes. The SPH model is demonstrated for simulations of two common LAAM processes: Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Deposition (DMD).