A feasible method of support slimming based on the different thresholds of polar angles in selective laser melting

Abstract

The large thermal deformation induced by the high temperature gradient severely restricts the threshold level of polar angle in selective laser melting (SLM). As such, different types of support structures are usually added to improve the manufacturing capacity and broaden the application of SLM technology. However, enormous support structures will result in large time consumption, material waste, high labor intensity and inferior surface quality of part. In this research, a feasible method of slimming support structures was presented. Firstly, a series of experiments for exploring the thresholds of polar angles at different azimuth angles relative to the recoating direction of powders were conducted and the effect of powder recoating by scraper on the building of inclined surfaces was analyzed. Then, a generation algorithm of slimmed support structures was proposed based on the varying thresholds of polar angles. In addition, several typical cases demonstrated the usefulness of this method by eliminating the quantities of their support structures by 35 percent% in average.

Power Density Distribution for Laser Additive Manufacturing (SLM): Potential, Fundamentals and Advanced Applications

“…Laser additive manufacturing is a technological method for the direct production or growing of functional objects from powders. Recent research [1][2][3][4] has aimed to create new classes of materials as gradient construction and functional materials (with gradient properties for different functional elements of geometrically complex parts), gradient reinforced by ceramics [5], variations of content for intermetallic alloys, adaptations of the method for hard-to-melt materials as hard alloys based on tungsten or tungsten itself, etc. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Optimization of Tree-like Support for Titanium Overhang Structures Produced via Electron Beam Melting

“…The viability of producing an overhang without support structures with various overhang angles was first investigated, followed by the proposal of a method for generating reduced support structures using varying polar angle requirements. The results revealed an average reduction of 35% in support infrastructure [20]. Vanek et al proposed a novel method for reducing the number of support structures required for overhanging surfaces created with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology.…”

The Effects of Overhang Forming Direction on Thermal Behaviors during Additive Manufacturing Ti-6Al-4V Alloy

“…Takaichi et al [18] found that the fatigue strength of supported specimens was more than twice that of unsupported specimens. Zhang et al [19] developed a feasible method of slimming support structures and used this method to eliminate the quantities of their support structures by 35% on average. Song et al [20] proposed functionally graded support structures and found that these structures can maintain a higher temperature level than conventional uniform support structures, which is equivalent to an extra preheating effect and can also reduce distortion.…”