Simulation Best Practices

For Additive Manufacturing

Solution Details
 Design for Additive
Manufacturing

2
Key challenges:

• Structural and thermal performance

• Complexity of using new materials
• Time-consuming geometry reconstruction
• Estimating the print direction to apply additive manufacturing constraints correctly
• Taking into consideration supports as thermal energy transfer to reduce distortions

These challenges involve significant simulation complexity:

• A user-friendly workflow that can accommodate multiple physics in formats relevant for designers,
operators and analyst
• Streamlined design validation methods
• Generation of additive manufacturing (AM) process compatible lattice structures
• Meaningful process compatible manufacturing constraints
• Easy-to-use tools to repair STL file format

3
Ansys' key feature to address design for additive manufacturing
• Additive manufacturing constraints and lattice structures
• Performance requirements are considered through constraint options like stress and displacement
• Realistic setup including detailed static, dynamic and thermal loads

Density-base method Level-set method

Lattice optimization Morphing

4
Multiphysics Topology Optimization
Final part generated w/
Original design topology optimization
(additively manufactured)
Optimized flow paths

Baseline Modified

Outlet mass-flux mean variance

Total Pressure drop

Total surface heat flux

Adjoint optimization of heat exchanger to maximize heat transfer at the

Design Iteration solid top and bottom surfaces.
Adjoint Optimization of manifold

5
 Rocker Arm

Pushrod
Ansys' key feature to address design for additive manufacturing
• Easy-to-use STL repair and back-to-CAD tools
• CAD-neutral import options Valve

• Merge bodies and facets

Clean up geometries &

convert to CAD

STL file from Topology Optimization Cleaned up STL Final CAD

6
These features deliver significant benefits: Topology
Finite Element Geometry
Analysis Optimization
• Reducing manufacturing cost by designing auto-supported
structures

• Reducing post topology optimization design steps

• Validating final solution against design requirements

• Optimizing weight

• Optimizing complex products such as heat-exchangers, molds,

high-frequency antennas, etc.

7
 Build Setup

8
Key challenges:

• Inadequate part surface quality due to low STL resolution format

• Finding optimal orientation to reduce distortion
• Finding right balance between cost and complexity of support removal vs. part
distortion and heat removal
• Obtaining good surface qualities by optimal orientation and support setup
• Nesting of similar and dissimilar parts for maximum machine load

These challenges involve significant simulation complexity:

• Streamlined tools for part orientation and support generation

• Robust build processors and slice viewers that account for detail process parameters
• Ability to export machine build files
• Cost estimator

9
Ansys' key feature to address build setup
Integrated solution

Support
Part Repair Slice Viewer
Generation

Export
Geometry &
Build Files

Orientation Build Cost

Map Processor Estimator

10
Ansys' key feature to address build setup
Orientation map: Assist the user in decision-making based on defined criteria

Select optimal orientation

Block with angled

support
Block support

Select between different

prioritization variables
Select a machine from the
library

11
Ansys' key feature to address build setup
Semi-automated support generation with
different types of supports:

• Block support
• Heartcell support
• Line support
• Rod support
• Tree support
• Contour support

12
Ansys'key feature to address build setup
Fast and robust build processor, slice viewer and cost estimator

Load a strategy
from the machine
library

Examine
individual slices

13
These features deliver significant benefits:
Orientation Map
• Finding optimal build orientations

• Reducing time in support generation

• Reducing build preparation time

• Increasing accuracy in cost estimation to save costs

• Reducing time to repair defective STL data formats

• Adjusting part designs efficiently as users can stay in

the same environment

14
 Process Simulation

15
Key challenges:

• Aborted jobs from part or support failures

• Defective/out-of-tolerance parts
• High residual stresses
• Post-processing requirements
• Buckling of thin walls

These challenges involve significant simulation complexity:

• Strongly coupled structural-thermal problem

• Phase change with high thermal gradients and thermal cooling rates
• Laser beam spot size is much smaller than overall part dimension
requiring small mesh size
• Thermomechanical properties of the porous material bed are largely
unknown

16
Ansys provides key capabilities to address these challenges:
Designers
• End-to-end workflow in a single platform
• Additive specific simulation setup, functionality and
technology User interface and
• Distortion compensation workflows tailored
• Qualified material library to user needs and
skill level
Benefits:

• Reduce trial-and-error
• Identify build failure
• Reduce scrap rate
• Faster design iterations

Operators Analysts

17
End-to-end workflow for Design for
Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) and
process simulation

• Easy-to-implement workflow in a common Design + Validation Process Simulation

platform with DfAM analysis means easy hand-
off between design analysis and process
simulation

• Easy extension to parametric analysis

• Accommodates follow-up post-processing

analyses and validation

End-to-end Workflow
Ease of Use
Residual stresses after
cooldown step
• Intuitive, easy user interface for
additive build, cool-down, heat
treatment

• Build settings details exposed for

user access

Residual stresses after heat

treatment, plate removal
Additive Specific Technology

• Different solution techniques for balancing

computational costs and fidelity Each machine manufacturer A unique scan Use machine scan pattern
uses different scan pattern pattern… in process simulation
logic.
• Ability to incorporate scan pattern information

• “Superlayer” (lumped layer) approach for faster

computation

• Voxel mesh generation capability

• Layered tetrahedral mesh for capturing complex

contours of the part accurately Voxel (Cartesian) mesh Layered Tetrahedral
Mesh
Evaluation of a Complex Build Multiple parts can be modeled

• Nested parts
• Complex supports
• Powder interaction
• Blade crash detection

Distortion is a function of part location on the build

Overall deformations in the parts after plate
Powder interaction
cooldown
Blade crash analysis
First-time Right with Distortion Compensation

A B
Build
Simulation

Part Geometry

Distorted
Geometry

Distortion Deviation measurement between original desired

Compensated part, A and final printed geometry, D
Geometry Printed Part
in tolerance
Build
C Simulation Iterative distortion compensation of the build simulation
D is important for a successful build
Material Data Capabilities

• Qualified material data with thermomechanical

properties for standard materials

• Ability to import/create custom materials

Equivalent model with
• Ability to simplify computations for complex Model with lattice supports
homogenized supports
support structures with homogenized material
properties
These features deliver significant benefits: Temperature during build process

• Correction of designs and reduction in the number of design

cycles

• Improvement in part quality and reduction of costs by knowing

when post-processing steps are required

• Accurate information on baseplate deformation provides better

estimate of build quality

• Process simulation with more accurate scan information

24
 Material Analysis

25
Key challenges:

• Optimizing machine parameters for high throughput and good print quality
• Reducing labor, time, number of experimental runs, and setup costs for additive production
machines
• Validating optimal process parameter space for additive production machines
• Optimizing of microstructure for specific applications
• Incorporating and validating simulation of new powder materials
• Reducing part overheating
These challenges involve significant simulation complexity:

• Numerical models that consider state variables

• Availability of methods to incorporate user-defined materials
• Simulation capabilities considering machine strategy and process parameters
• Predictive capabilities that can fill gaps of thermal sensors used in real production

26
 Meltpool dimensions

Ansys' key feature to address build setup

• Prediction of meltpool dimensions and porosity estimation

Ability to run up to 300 process parameter

permutations

27
Ansys' key feature to address build setup
• Microstructure prediction of grain size, shape and orientation
• Thermal parameter prediction
• Grain size and orientation angle distribution bar charts

Lack of fusion

Ø=24 mm

Scan rotation = 0°

28
 Select specific output layers

Ansys' key feature to address build setup

• Thermal history prediction with machine parameters and build files

Coaxial average sensor

Use this data together with real pool correlation

measured with thermal sensors to optimize the
printing strategy

Alternating hot
and cold traces

29
These features deliver significant benefits:

• Accelerate time for the development of additive manufacturing process parameter

in support of production
Grain orientation
• Reduce number of experimental tests by selecting a window of optimal process
parameters

• Minimize porosity with optimal process parameters

• Optimize machine parameters and printing strategy to avoid hotspots

• Estimate grain morphology, size and direction

• Accelerate customer solution development

30
 Data Capture and
Management

31
 Key benefits

Ensure traceability and capture

of AM data
AM data analytics that help
to optimize your process Machine log files, heat
Test data for design Ansys GRANTA MI treatment,
optimization, nondestructive tests,
Integrate AM data with your CAE calibration of build mechanical testing
and CAD systems Design information,
simulation results
key build process
parameters
Part and process
specifications

Comparison between machine

log files, post-processing
For more information please visit the parameters and test results,
generation of statistical values
Materials Data Management booth

32
 What machine
parameters did
Build manufacturing What is the
we use? variability in
performance?

Design & build

preparation
Testing and Delivery and
validation use in services
What powder/wire
did we use? What are the key
Quality? property/process
relationships?
Simulation

33
 How should I manage additive
manufacturing (AM) material data?
AM Production & Testing
Process Post-Build Heat NDT Mechanical
Powder / Raw Parameters Machine Log Treatment Inspection Testing
Material for the Build Files Data Test Results Results

Build Parameter Test Results

Powder Build-1 HT-1 (Ex: Stress NDT-1 (Ex: CT
Specification Set 1
Relief) Scans)

Tensile
Virgin Powder
Supplier Data
Build Parameter Fatigue
Set 2
Build-2
Machine B HT-2 (Ex: HIP) NDT-1 (Ex: X-Ray)
Powder
Characterisation
Test Results Fracture
Toughness

Powder Re-Use
Data Creep

Powder Mix and

The AM Template Crack
Blend Data
can capture all of Propagation

this data Micrographs

34
 Integrated Data
Visualization
Part defect Powder
mapping (Build X characteristics
pos. vs. Y pos. vs. (Nitro., Ox., vs.
number of Hall flow vs.
defects) recycling)

Box plots, min, max, Curve averaging

mean, median, (process
standard deviation parameter vs.
material
property)
 Key Benefits with Ansys GRANTA MI:
• A “gold source” for all your additive manufacturing materials and process data
• Build a complete digital twin of test and sensor data
• Expose relationships between input parameters, feedstock conditions and sensory information
• Compare against conventional material data for comprehensive project planning
• The AM template provides a robust platform to accelerate your AM endeavors
• Minimize losses from rejected components
• Prioritize necessary inspections and testing for powder, designs, etc.

Additional Considerations:
• Extend capabilities using Ansys AM products and Ansys optiSLang
• Recursively enhance resolution and accuracy of material models
• Identify key parameters to control and vary for performance objectives
• Utilize as a database for technical data packages
• All files, inputs, machine model, material, etc. required to recreate a component anywhere

36
 Validation and Part
Qualification

37
 Validation and Part Qualification

Key challenges:

• Distortions from the build process create parts that are out of tolerance
• High process temperatures may cause build defects
• Residual stresses in the part may affect mechanical strength and fatigue life
• Part porosity from the process may affect mechanical strength and fatigue life

Ansys Capabilities
• Simulated distortions can be compared with nominal geometry for virtual quality assurance
• Simulation Design of Experiments (DOE) can be utilized for optimum temperature range for build success
• Structural simulation for service conditions can account for residual stresses from the build simulation
• Simulation DOE, porosity simulations and high-fidelity thermal simulations allow part qualification for
manufacturing variation of process parameters
• Simulation for service conditions can incorporate material properties as a function of part porosity

38
 Validation and Part Qualification

Ansys' key feature to address build setup

Capability to compare geometry from print simulation and/or geometry from
metrology with the nominal geometry

Deviation from nominal geometry

(blue = inward, red =outward)

𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙 = 𝑇𝑖64

39
 Validation and Part Qualification
AlSi10Mg Single Bead Parametric| Layer Thickness - 30 μm |
Beam Diameter – 80 um
High-fidelity simulation of meltpool size

• Process parameter effect on meltpool size is

quantified with simulation Design of Experiments

• The in-line process monitoring system can leverage

the data to avoid build failures from sub-optimal
temperature conditions

Material AlSi10Mg
Baseplate Temperature 150 °C
Layer Thickness 30 μm
Bead Length 3 mm
Beam Diameter Select specific output layers
80 μm

40
 Validation and Part Qualification

Capability for validation of printed

part under service loads

Residual stresses after Residual stresses after heat Life calculation under
cooldown step treatment, plate removal service loads.

Effect of residual stresses and distortions of build

process on service life
 Validation and Part Qualification

Effect of process parameter variation on the build

quality

• Simulation Design of Experiments coupled with

experimental data helps quantify optimum process
parameter space for a successful build.

• The optimum process parameter space (e.g., laser

power, beam size, speed) coupled with porosity
prediction can be used for validating part porosity

Select specific output layers

42
 Validation and Part Qualification

Validation: Porosity effects on service life

Experimental correlations between porosity and material

properties can be used to predict influence of porosity on the
service life
 Simulation Best Practices For Additive
Manufacturing

44