5th International Conference on Advances in Solidification Processes (ICASP-5) 5th International Symposium on Cutting Edge of Computer Simulation of Solidification, Casting and Refining (CSSCR-5)

Additive manufacturing (AM) is inducing some kind of next industrial revolution. Components develop layer by layer in a powder bed by selective beam melting according to 3D model data. This technique allows manufacturing of highly complex components and is especially interesting for high performance materials that are difficult to process in conventional technologies. Nevertheless, AM is challenged by material quality issues such as porosity, binding faults, surface roughness, selective evaporation, texture, etc. In this contribution, the variety of physical phenomena important during powder bed based AM of metallic alloys is discussed based on mesoscopic simulation also taking into account the effect of individual powder particles. We show the influence of the powder properties, such as bulk density or size distribution, on the consolidation process and stochastic appearing faults. Examples show the influence of the processing parameters and the consolidation strategy on phenomena such as selective evaporation or texture evolution. In summary we show, how mesoscopic simulation improves process understanding and represents the basis for further process development.