Simulation of laser beam melting of steel powders using the three-dimensional volume of fluid method

Abstract

A transient three-dimensional beam-matter-interaction model was developed to simulate the process dynamics of laser beam melting (LBM) of metals in the powder bed. The simulations were realized by the software OpenFOAM and modified solvers. Based on the continuity equation, the equation of heat conduction and the Navier-Stokes equation the laser material interaction is described. Furthermore, the volume of fluid method is used to characterize the free surfaces of the multi-phase system. These process simulations were performed for steel powders. The parameters were chosen according to those applied in industrial machines and the simulation results show good correlation to experimental data. © 2013 The Authors.