Annalen der Physik

Numerical modeling of heat-transfer and the influence of process parameters on tailoring the grain morphology of IN718 in electron beam additive manufacturing ☆

Selective laser melting (SLM) has emerged as one of the primary metal additive manufacturing technologies used for many applications in various industries such as medical and aerospace sectors. However, defects such as part distortion and delamination resulted from process-induced residual stresses are still one of the key challenges that hinder widespread adoptions of SLM. For process parameters, the laser beam scanning path will affect the thermomechanical behaviors of the build part, and thus, altering the scanning pattern may be a possible strategy to reduce residual stresses and deformations through influencing the heat intensity input distributions. In this study, a 3D sequentially coupled finite element (FE) model was developed to investigate the thermomechanical responses in the SLM process. The model was applied to test different scanning strategies and evaluate their effects on part temperature, stress and deformation. The major results are summarized as follows. (1) Among all cases tested, the out-in scanning pattern has the maximum stresses along the X and Y directions; while the 45° inclined line scanning may reduce residual stresses in both directions. (2) Large directional stress differences can be generated by the horizontal line scanning strategy. (3) X and Y directional stress concentrations are shown around the edge of the deposited layers and the interface between the deposited layers and the substrate for all cases. (4) The 45° inclined line scanning case also has a smaller build direction deformation than other cases.

Stress and Deformation Evaluations of Scanning Strategy Effect in Selective Laser Melting

Since the early stages of thermal spray, it has been recognized that the powder composition, size distribution, shape, mass density, mechanical resistance, components distribution for composite particles play a key role in coating microstructure and thermo mechanical properties. The principal characteristics of particles are strongly linked to the manufacturing process. Coatings also depend on the process used to spray particles and spray parameters. Many papers have been devoted to the relationships existing between coating properties and structures at different scales and manufacturing processes. In many conventional spray conditions resulting in micrometric structures, among the different parameters, good powder flow ability, and dense particles are important features. Thermal plasma treatment, especially by RF plasma, of particles, prepared by different manufacturing processes, allows achieving such properties and it is now developed at an industrial scale. Advantages and drawbacks of this process will be discussed. Another point, which will be approached, is the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, depending very strongly upon the starting composite particle manufacturing. However, as everybody knows, “small is beautiful” and nano- or finely structured coatings are now extensively studied with spraying of: (i) very complex alloys containing multiple elements which exhibit a glass forming capability when cooled-down, their under-cooling temperature being below the glass transition temperature; (ii) conventional micrometer-sized particles (in the 30-90 μm range) made of agglomerated nanometer-sized particles; (iii) sub-micrometer- or nanometer-sized particles via a suspension in which also, instead of particles, stable sol of nanometer-sized particles can be introduced; and (iv) spray solutions of final material precursor. These different processes using plasma, HVOF or sometimes flame and also cold-gas spray will be discussed together with the production of nanometer-sized particles via the chemical reaction method or by a special type of milling: the cryogenic milling process often referred to as “cryomilling.”

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs11666-009-9435-x.pdf

From Powders to Thermally Sprayed Coatings

Full length articleStress and deformation evaluations of scanning strategy effect in selective laser melting

Powder particles are projected from a thermal spray gun towards substrates to generate protective coatings. A clear understanding of the dynamic impingement when droplets make contact with substrates is critical for controlling and optimizing the thermal spray process. A droplet impingement model is developed to simulate the transient flow dynamics during impact, spreading and solidification. The volume of fluid surface tracking technique is employed within a fixed Eulerian structured mesh. The numerical model is validated with experimental data from tin droplet measurements. The results prove that thermal contact resistance is the key element in characterizing the substrate surface roughness for impingement modelling. It is found that spreading, solidification and air entrapment are closely related to surface roughness.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/38/19/015/pdf

Numerical modelling of droplet impingement

3-D modelling of kerosene-fuelled HVOF thermal spray gun

High velocity oxygen–fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying is a relatively new technology compared to other protective coating methods. Powders sprayed by liquid fuel HVOF guns are able to achieve high impact velocities without overheating, which results in superior coatings. A computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is developed to investigate propane combustion in the process of HVOF thermal spraying. The numerical methods are described for correct representation of various thermal–physical phenomena such as flame propagation, turbulent mixing and flow acceleration. The principal advantages and shortcomings of various models are discussed.

Numerical modelling of propane combustion in a high velocity oxygen–fuel thermal spray gun

High velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray technology is able to produce very dense coating without over-heating powder particles. The quality of coating is directly related to the particle parameters such as velocity, temperature and state of melting or solidification. In order to obtain this particle data, mathematical models are developed to predict particle dynamic behaviour in a liquid fuelled high velocity oxy-fuel thermal spray gun. The particle transport equations are solved in a Lagrangian manner and coupled with the three-dimensional, chemically reacting, turbulent gas flow. The melting and solidification within particles as a result of heat exchange with the surrounding gas flow is solved numerically. The in-flight particle characteristics of Inconel 718 are studied and the effects of injection parameters on particle behavior are examined. The computational results show that the particles smaller than 10 μm undergo melting and solidification prior to impact while the particle larger than 20 μm never reach liquid state during the process.

Spyros Kamnis

Papers

Numerical modelling of droplet impingement

3-D modelling of kerosene-fuelled HVOF thermal spray gun

Numerical modelling of propane combustion in a high velocity oxygen–fuel thermal spray gun

Mathematical modelling of Inconel 718 particles in HVOF thermal spraying

Computational simulation of thermally sprayed WC–Co powder