A spiral laser scanning routine for powder bed fusion inspired by natural predator-prey behaviour. Issue 2 (3rd April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Suh In; Hart, A. John
• Is Part Of: Virtual and physical prototyping. Volume 17:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 239
• Page End: 255
• Publication Date: 2022-04-03
• Subjects: Laser powder bed fusion -- scan pattern -- optimisation -- nature-inspired design -- predator-prey model; Rapid prototyping -- Periodicals; Virtual computer systems -- Periodicals; Prototypes, Engineering -- Periodicals; Production engineering -- Periodicals; Design, Industrial -- Periodicals; 670.285
• DOI: 10.1080/17452759.2022.2031232
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-2759

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Additive manufacturing by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) requires process parameters that consider both local and global thermal gradients to address material and component quality issues caused by non-uniform heating and cooling. Here, we develop an analogy between natural predator-prey behaviour and heat flow in LPBF, and consequently derive a spiral pattern that is translated into a discrete vector pattern compatible with LPBF. A power optimisation routine is applied to the spiral pattern to maintain constant melt pool depth, and the simulated thermal histories are compared to well-established zig-zag and helix scan patterns. From these results, we propose that the spiral pattern reduces the spatial variation of temperature, while a larger area remains above a specified threshold temperature at the end of the scan. Consequently, the spiral pattern may be promising for printing crack-prone materials, and for parameter optimisation of LPBF overall, and should be experimentally validated in future work.