Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) Process Simulation and Software Comparison

Additive Manufacturing is a technology that has revolutionized product design. Initially conceived for rapid prototyping, it has expanded to become a significant choice for producing final objects. Unlike traditional methods, it offers the ability to create near net shape products and easily customize each element. This capability has given Additive Manufacturing a significant boost for its growth, but the real innovation has been the ability to produce very complex shapes. This property has eliminated many constraints, favoring the creation of optimized objects and increasing freedom in the final design. The aerospace industry is a clear example of the use of this technology, where many parts have been redesigned to reduce weight while maintaining mechanical performance. The design of new products has undergone such a significant revolution that it introduced the term 'design for additive manufacturing.' This is supported by the use of software that helps the manufacturer make the best choices in the design phase to reduce material waste and final processing. Particularly important in this category are process simulation software. They provide predictions of deformations and stresses that the part undergoes during the printing phase. This ensures the possibility of studying design changes in the design phase without wasting time and materials, and printing the part only in the final phase in a more informed manner. The paper aims to study the functioning of two software used for process simulation. The study focuses on an initial phase aimed at understanding the parameters involved in the simulation, particularly the modeling of the part in the form of elements by the two programs. The second phase is focused on the analysis of parts. The parts considered are very different in terms of size, providing a broader scope of study. The first is a turbine blade, while the second piece is an AIR-AIR heat exchanger. During the analysis phases, stress and deformation trends were primarily considered, along with some parameters that take into account simulation execution times. The final part draws conclusions from this comparison, highlighting the strengths of the software and their best properties. The work was carried out in collaboration with GE Avio Aero. This company is a leader in Additive Manufacturing (AM) for the aerospace industry, particularly in the field of engines. In 2017, they entered into an agreement with the Polytechnic University of Turin to establish the Turin Additive Lab (TAL), a research and innovation center focused on AM technology.