Manufacturing Technology Today

S. Vijay ¹, Ch. Srinivasa Rao ²

Affiliations
1 Dept of Mech Engg, Bapatla Engg College, Bapatla, Guntur Dt, IN
2 Dept. of Mech.Engg, AU College of Engg(A), Visakhapatnam, IN

Abstract

Temperature distribution while fabricating parts plays a vital role both in physical properties and mechanical properties. Model simulation using Analysis packages is a new trend in research to minimize time and experimental cost. In this paper a powerful statistical tool called Design of Experiments is used to simulate the Selective Laser Melting Process to find the dependency of various parameters like Laser Power, Scan Velocity, scan interval for optimum temperature distribution. 90W-7Ni-3Fe powder thermo-physical properties are used for simulation using ANSYS. Two levels for each process parameters were selected based on the literature and 2^4-1 fractional factorial design is used to investigate the most significant parameters of the process for maximum temperature distribution.

Response relation equation with the process parameters shows that most significant parameter for the maximum temperature distribution is laser power and scan velocity. Estimated optimum temperature is expressed in terms of significant parameters.

Keywords

Selective Laser Melting, Simulation Model, Design of Experiments, Temperature Distribution.

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S. Vijay ¹, J. L. Lalitha ¹, M. V. Rao ¹, A. Gopala Krishna ²

Affiliations
1 Mechanical Engg. Dept., Bapatla Engg. College, Bapatla, IN
2 Dept. of Mechanical Engg., JNTU, Kakinada, IN

Abstract

The emerging technology in manufacturing is Rapid Prototyping, by which one can fabricate the functional testing parts within less time. Rapid Prototyping (RP) includes different techniques viz., Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), 3D Printing etc., In some RP processes, the extended portion of the part needs the support material. The support materials differ from part material, which is useful only for supporting purpose. After fabricating the parts the support material has to be discarded from the part. As per the cost criteria, the cost of the support materials ranges between 30-40% of the total cost depending on the geometries. While fabricating the part, the support material has to sustain the weight of the extended parts and its forces. The thermal stresses induced in the support material due to difference in temperatures of part and support material while solidifying process should also be taken into consideration. The paper concentrates on the volume reduction of the support material for basic geometries without losing the functional requirements of the support material. Finite Element Method has been applied for stresses and thermal analysis. The values thus found conclude that there is a possibility to reduce the volume of the support material for about 10-15% depending on geometry of the part and thereby reduces the cost of fabrication.

Keywords

Support Material, Rapid Prototyping, Volume Reduction, Basic Geometries.

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