Efficient Thermal Modelling and Topology Optimization for Additive Manufacturing

With the advent of Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques, the design principle of `form follows function' no longer remains a utopian proposition. The unprecedented design freedom offered by AM is making it possible to conceptualize highly performant designs by efficiently leveraging geometrical complexity. The increase in design freedom...

Classification and analysis of common simplifications in part-scale thermal modelling of metal additive manufacturing processes

Computational process modelling of metal additive manufacturing has gained significant research attention in recent past. The cornerstone of many process models is the transient thermal response during the AM process. Since deposition-scale modelling of the thermal conditions in AM is computationally expensive, spatial and temporal...

Overheating control in additive manufacturing using a 3D topology optimization method and experimental validation

Overheating is a major issue especially in metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes, leading to poor surface quality, lack of dimensional precision, inferior performance and/or build failures. A 3D density-based topology optimization (TO) method is presented which addresses the issue of local overheating during metal AM. This is achieved...

Controlling local overheating in topology optimization for additive manufacturing

A novel constraint to prevent local overheating is presented for use in topology optimization (TO). The very basis for the constraint is the Additive Manufacturing (AM) process physics. AM enables fabrication of highly complex topologically optimized designs. However, local overheating is a major concern especially in metal AM processes...

Fast Detection of Heat Accumulation in Powder Bed Fusion Using Computationally Efficient Thermal Models

The powder bed fusion (PBF) process is a type of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique which enables fabrication of highly complex geometries with unprecedented design freedom. However, PBF still suffers from manufacturing constraints which, if overlooked, can cause various types of defects in the final part. One such constraint is the local...

Improving the manufacturability of metal AM parts

Numerous challenges of additive manufacturing (AM) are tackled in the European Horizon 2020 project PAM^2 by studying and linking every step of the AM process cycle. For example, PAM^2 researchers from the design, processing and application side have collaborated in this work to optimise the manufacturability of metal AM parts using an improved...

A mold insert case study on topology optimized design for additive manufacturing

The Additive Manufacturing (AM) of injection molding inserts has gained popularity during recent years primarily due to the reduced design-to-production time and form freedom offered by AM. In this paper, Topology Optimization (TO) is performed on a metallic mold insert which is to be produced by the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technique....

New support structures for reduced overheating on downfacing regions of direct metal printed parts

In Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), the downfacing surfaces usually have increased surface roughness and reduced dimensional accuracy due to local overheating and warpage. To partially overcome this a new supporting structure is developed in this study, namely the contactless support. This is a thin blade parallel to the critical area which...

Towards design for precision additive manufacturing: A simplified approach for detecting heat accumulation

Probing Dynamics of an Electron-Spin Ensemble via a Superconducting Resonator

We study spin relaxation and diffusion in an electron-spin ensemble of nitrogen impurities in diamond at low temperature (0.25–1.2 K) and polarizing magnetic field (80–300 mT). Measurements exploit field-controlled coupling of the ensemble to two modes of a transmission-line resonator. The observed temperature-independent spin relaxation time...