Capillary effects and consolidation kinetics during selective laser melting of 316L powder

Selective laser melting (SLM) technology has the advantage of quickly producing complex-shaped parts. To achieve good mechanical properties, it's vital to minimize defects that can occur because of high residual porosity if incorrect processing techniques are used. One effective way to prevent defects is by using computer simulations of underlying processes before printing in the industry. This paper presents a reduced-order numerical model of SLM processing that accurately predicts material porosity by focusing on the key mechanisms that affect the melting and consolidation processes. The focus is on the formation of defects and the expected time that is required until the consolidation of a powder bed is completed. Then the elasticity of the SLM processed materials near defects is analyzed. The modeling results for powder consolidation are shown for comparison with experimental data on stainless steel 316L powder during SLM. This information can be further used for proper selection of SLM parameters such as the scanning speed and the power of the laser source.