Numerical modelling of laser metal deposition (LMD) process for melt pool temperatu re distribution and deposited tracks’ geometry prediction（Route-to-Impact project)

The project was focused on the development and validation of an integrated approach for the modelling of  Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) for melt pool temperature distribution and deposited tracks’ geometry prediction for the fabrication of metal components by this additive manufacturing process. 

The project was funded by the "Route to Impact" call from the Advanced Forming Research Centre, a High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre which is funded and managed by Innovate UK.

The laser metal deposition (LMD) is a promising additive manufacturing technology for the fabrication of the near net shape components with streams of metal powder for some high-end applications in the aircraft & aerospace, high performance automotive, and medical device industry. Besides, it is especially suitable for remanufacturing of high-value components and easier for creating compositionally-graded material for specific applications, which could meet the demands both from the SMEs (e.g. be cost-effective & quick time-to-market) and from specific R&D sectors (e.g. be innovative & creative). However, the LMD process is complexed and with so many influencing parameters and factors; the consistence of the deposited components quality during the practical production is not always well maintained. Trails and errors method will be an expensive and time-consuming way to find the optimal parameter sets to fabricate or remanufacture fully-dense, crack free, geometrically-complex components. The Centre for Precision Manufacturing (CPM) group in DMEM had been investigated numerical modelling methods for LMD in the last few years. A series individual models (e.g. Powder dynamics CFD models, melt-pool formation models, track solidification model) and a multiscale/multi-physics/multi-phase (3M) integrated model relating to the LMD process had already been developed. CPM wants to make use of the "Route to Impact" funding to further experimental validation of the proposed models and find different end-users and more applications in industry, especially in the remanufacturing or the maintenance, repair and operations areas. （Total funding:£23,000）