Discrete Element Method Analysis of the Spreading Mechanism and Its Influence on Powder Bed Characteristics in Additive Manufacturing

Laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing is among the most used industrial processes, allowing for the production of customizable and geometrically complex parts at relatively low cost. Although different aspects of the powder spreading process have been investigated, questions remain on the process repeatability on the actual beam–powder bed interaction. Given the influence of the formed bed on the quality of the final part, understanding the spreading mechanism is crucial for process optimization. In this work, a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of the spreading process is adopted to investigate the spreading process and underline the physical phenomena occurring. With parameters validated through ad hoc experiments, two spreading velocities, accounting for two different flow regimes, are simulated. The powder distribution in both the accumulation and deposition zone is investigated. Attention is placed on how density, effective layer thickness, and particle size distribution vary throughout the powder bed. The physical mechanism leading to the observed characteristics is discussed, effectively defining the window for the process parameters.