Numerical simulations and infrared camera measurements of temperature distributions in laser powder bed fusion of polymers

Abstract

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations in two dimensions are used to calculate the transient melt pool temperature distribution in the laser powder bed fusion process of polymers. The effects of laser power, scan speed, hatch distance, absorptance, emissivity, density, heat capacity, heat transfer, latent heat, thermal conductivity, melting and re-solidification, viscosity and surface tension are considered in the model. A wide range of these laser parameters and material properties is investigated. Complementary to the simulation results, infrared camera measurements of the transient surface temperature are provided.