Analytical Modelling of Temperature Distribution in SLM Process with Consideration of Scan Strategy Difference between Layers

In the practical selective laser melting (SLM) manufacturing process, the scan strategy often varies between layers to avoid overlapping of the melted area, which affects the residual stress and deflection of the final build. Yet not much modelling work has been done to accommodate the angle between layers. The paper proposed an analytical thermal model to address the scan strategy difference, such as laser scan direction difference between layers, which brings the model closer to the practical scan situation. The analytical transient moving point heat solution is adopted in this model. The laser movement is first considered in a laser coordinates, which originates at the laser radiation spot, and then transferred into a stationary coordinate, which originates at the starting point of the build. The model takes account of multi-track and multi-layer effect by considering thermal property changes caused by remaining heat, which is further adopted for temperature distribution calculation. The scan direction difference leads to different laser path at each layer, and alters heating and cooling time for a specific point on the build. The proposed model is validated by comparing the predicted melt pool geometries to documented experimental data. The effect of scan direction difference between layers is further discussed in the later part. It is found that the uni- and bi- directional scan leads to diverse temperature profile but its effect on melt depth is not significant. Although the laser rotation angle between layers leads to changes in the melt depth, it is not in a large scale. The proposed model shows that scan strategy does not change melt pool geometry in a significant scale but affects the thermal profile as well as thermal history. It can be used as a step for further modelling work for porosity and deflection.