Numerical simulation of direct metal laser sintering of single-component powder on top of sintered layers

A three-dimensional model describing melting and resolidification of direct metal laser sintering of loose powders on top of sintered layers with a moving Gaussian laser beam is developed. Natural convection in the liquid pool driven by buoyancy and Marangoni effects is taken into account. A temperature transforming model is employed to model melting and re solidification in the laser sintering process. The continuity, momentum, and energy equations are solved using a finite volume method. The effects of dominant processing parameters including number of the existing sintered layers underneath, laser scanning velocity, and initial porosity on the sintering process are investigated.