Finite element modeling (FEM) as a design tool to produce thin wall structures in laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF)

Abstract

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) has been widely adopted in many industrial sectors such as biomedical, automotive, and aerospace thanks to the possibility to produce objects with complex shapes and meet customers' needs. Despite all the advantages that LPBF can offer, the rise of residual stress due to the high thermal gradients generated during the process can limit its application. This is the case with thin-wall structures where the build-up of residual stress can compromise the success of the printing process. Being able to print this structure can be useful in fuel cell applications where the implementation of cooling channels in bipolar plates can improve their performance. This paper aims to provide guidelines for designing thin-wall structures produced by LPBF processes through numerical simulations by understanding the effect of residual stress on part distortion.