Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Production of Single Tracks of Ti-6Al-4V by Directed Energy Deposition to Determine the Layer Thickness for Multilayer Deposition
Published on: March 13, 2018
Simulation of Laser-assisted Directed Energy Deposition of Aluminum Powder: Prediction of Geometry and Temperature
Fabrizia Caiazzo1, Vittorio Alfieri2
1Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy. f.caiazzo@unisa.it.
Abstract:
One of the main current challenges in the field of additive manufacturing and directed energy deposition of metals, is the need for simulation tools to prevent or reduce the need to adopt a trial-and-error approach to find the optimum processing conditions. A valuable help is offered by numerical simulation, although setting-up and validating a reliable model is challenging, due to many issues related to the laser source, the interaction with the feeding metal, the evolution of the material properties and the boundary conditions. Indeed, many attempts have been reported in the literature, although some issues are usually simplified or neglected. Therefore, this paper is aimed at building a comprehensive numerical model for the process of laser-assisted deposition. Namely: the geometry of the deposited metal is investigated in advance and the most effective reference shape is found to feed the simulation as a function of the governing factors for single- and multi-track, multi-layer deposition; then, a non-stationary thermal model is proposed and the underlying hypotheses to simulate the addition of metal are discussed step-by-step. Validation is eventually conducted, based on experimental evidence. Aluminum alloy 2024 is chosen as feeding metal and substrate.
Related Concept Videos
Predicting Molecular Geometry
Effects of Temperature on Free Energy
Coordination Number and Geometry
The Evidence for Evolution
Kinetic Molecular Theory: Molecular Velocities, Temperature, and Kinetic Energy
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition

