A Layer-Arranged Meshless Method for the Simulation of Additive Manufacturing with Irregular Shapes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Computational Modeling

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (3D Printing) offers flexibility for complex geometries.
• Thermal gradients during 3D printing induce strains and deformations, impacting part quality, especially in metal printing.
• Accurate simulation requires layer-by-layer analysis to match the additive process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel simulation method for additive manufacturing that addresses layer-by-layer thermal deformations.
• To improve the accuracy of simulations for 3D printed parts, particularly metal components.
• To provide a simulation approach that directly utilizes standard STL geometry models.

Main Methods:

• A new meshless method was developed for modeling additive manufacturing processes.
• The method allows for layer-by-layer arrangement of the analysis model.
• Automatic model generation directly from STL files was implemented.

Main Results:

• The proposed meshless method successfully simulated layer-by-layer additive printing.
• Simulations showed good agreement with experimentally printed parts, including those with internal holes.
• The method demonstrated effectiveness and efficiency in simulating complex, irregular parts.

Conclusions:

• The developed meshless method provides an accurate and efficient simulation approach for additive manufacturing.
• This layer-by-layer simulation strategy effectively captures thermal strains and deformations.
• The method enhances the predictive capability for 3D printing, leading to improved part quality.