Two-dimensional modeling of sintering of a powder layer on top of nonporous substrate

Abstract

Selective laser sintering (SLS) of a two-component metal powder layer on the top of multiple sintered layers by a moving Gaussian laser beam is modeled. The loose metal powder layer is composed of a powder mixture with significantly different melting points. The physical model that accounts the shrinkage induced by melting is described by using a temperature-transforming model. The effects of the porosity and the thickness of the atop loose powder layer with different numbers of the existing sintered metal powder layers below on the sintering process are numerically investigated. The present work will provide a better understanding to simulate much more complicated three-dimensional SLS process.

Keywords

laser / sintering / melting / solidification / heat transfer