Improving the R&D process efficiency of the selective laser sintering industry through numerical thermal modeling

Abstract

The selective laser melting (SLS) industry is a relatively novel industry within the broad spectrum of available additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. As with most developing industries, the primary aim is to develop better quality components at reduced costs, often with a disregard towards efficiency. Resource efficiency is a key component of waste management and ties directly to sustainable manufacturing. In the SLS industry, large quantities of raw material are wasted during the machine calibration stage. Each time a new material is developed for SLS manufacturing a specific set of processing parameters need to be developed in order to ensure that high density, high strength components are produced. This paper investigates the possibility of replacing the current inefficient research and development (R&D) methods with numerical modeling. The fusion process can be simulated in a numerical thermal model using a combination of temperature dependent material properties and heat transfer principles.