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Laser additive manufacturing of bulk and powder ceramic materials: mathematical modeling with experimental correlations

Muhammad Arif Mahmood (Mechanical Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Doha, Qatar; Laser department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Magurele-Ilfov, Romania and Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, Magurele-Ilfov, Romania)
Andrei C. Popescu (Center for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL), National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Magurele-Ilfov, Romania)
Mihai Oane (Accelerators Laboratory, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Magurele-Ilfov, Romania)
Carmen Ristoscu (Laser department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Magurele-Ilfov, Romania)
Ion N. Mihailescu (Laser department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Magurele-Ilfov, Romania)

Rapid Prototyping Journal

ISSN: 1355-2546

Article publication date: 29 March 2022

Issue publication date: 2 August 2022

164

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop efficient and simple models for thermal distribution, melt pool dimensions and controlled phase change in the laser additive manufacturing (AM) of bulk and powder particles ceramic materials.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes new analytical models for the AM of bulk and powder bed ceramic materials. A volumetric moving heat source, along with the complete melting of bulk and powder particle materials, is taken into account. Different values of laser absorption coefficient in solid and liquid states have been used to investigate the phase transformation. Furthermore, the pores and voids dimensions are also included in the modeling. Theoretical predictions have been compared with the experimental analyses and finite element simulations in laser to silicon nitride and laser to alumina interaction. The analysis focuses on the impact of laser power and scanning speed on the melt pool width and depth evolution into the bulk substrate and powder bed.

Findings

This study shows that the powder particles exhibit a higher thermal distribution value than the bulk substrate because of voids in the powder layer. The laser beam experiences multiple reflections in the presence of porosity/voids, thus increasing the surface absorption coefficient, which becomes relevant with the increment in the pore/void dimension. A direct relationship has been found between the laser power and melt pool dimensions, while the scanning speed displayed an inverse relationship for the melt pool width and length. Larger melt dimensions were inferred in the case of laser–powder particle interaction compared with laser–bulk substrate interaction. A close correlation was found between the analytical simulations, experimental investigations and numerical simulation results within the range of 4%–8%.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to develop efficient and simplified models for ceramics laser AM by taking into account different laser absorption coefficients in solid and liquid form, voids and pores dimensions and controlled phase transformation to avoid vapors and plasma formation. The limitation of the finite element simulation model is that the solution is strongly dependent on the mesh quality and accuracy directly linked to the computation efficiency and time. A finer mesh requires a longer computing time than a coarse mesh. Finite element simulations require, however, specialized skills.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research has received financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Grant Agreement No. 764935. This research has been conducted in the framework of POC-G Contract No. 135/2016 and UEFISCDI 45/2021. This work was also supported by grants of the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, Project Nos. PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020–1634 and PN-III-P2-2–1-PED-2019–3953, within PNCDI III, and Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, under the Romanian National Nucleu Program LAPLAS VI – Contract No. 16N/2019.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, M.A.M., A.C.P. and M.O.; methodology, M.A.M., A.C.P. and C.R.; software, M.A.M. and M.O.; validation, M.AM., A.C.P., C.R., and I.N.M.; formal analysis, M.A.M., A.C.P., M.O., C.R., and I.N.M.; investigation, M.A.M., and C.R.; resources, C.R., and I.N.M.; writing-original draft preparation, reviewing and editing, M.A.M., A.C.P., C.R., and I.N.M.; supervision, A.C.P., M.O., C.R., and I.N.M.; project administration and funding acquisition, C.R., and I.N.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Citation

Mahmood, M.A., Popescu, A.C., Oane, M., Ristoscu, C. and Mihailescu, I.N. (2022), "Laser additive manufacturing of bulk and powder ceramic materials: mathematical modeling with experimental correlations", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 28 No. 8, pp. 1520-1529. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-07-2021-0179

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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