55th CIRP Conference on Manufacturing Systems Model-based quality assurance of SLM parts

SLM (selective laser melting) struggles with the repeatability of parts’ consistent mechanical properties for different geometries.Steep costs in manufacturing, f.e. due to experimental iteration of support structures and thermal distortion offset, and labor-intensive qualityassurance, result in limited viability of small lot sizes that are of particular interest for spare and obsolescent parts.Instead of static process parameters, the authors strive for a system to calculate suitable parameters for each scan vector on each layer to keep a consistent melt pool geometry, previously determined to be the most robust in conduction welding mode. First results for a stable melt poolgeometry in stainless steel (316L) from single melt-line experiments and results of a thermal conduction solver are presented. Moreover, a testregiment that provokes considerably different cooling rates in bulk parts is described.