A Phase-Transformation Based Thermo-Mechanical Finite-Element Framework for Part-Scale Laser Powder Bed Fusion Simulations
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Laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) is governed by transient thermal fields, evolving material phases, and strong thermo-mechanical coupling. Therefore, part-scale simulations require physically consistent material models embedded in robust numerical formulations capable of handling complex, evolving boundary-value problems (BVP) in order to represent manufacturing scenarios and predict residual stresses and part distortion. This work presents a fully coupled, phase-dependent thermo-mechanical finite element framework for modelling the effective material behaviour of Ti6Al4V in component level PBF-LB/M simulations, building on multiscale studies of residual stresses based on the inherent strain method, [1]. The powder, melt, and solid states are explicitly represented by a homogenized, averaged energy density under small strain assumptions using temperature-dependent material properties, similar to the large strain formulation for metal deposition as presented in [2]. Transformation strains, viscous melt and elasto-viscoplastic solid behaviour are incorporated in order to capture residual stresses during repeated melting and solidification cycles. The thermal formulation takes into account conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation-induced heat flux, as well as latent heat effects and internal heat generation. The resulting governing equations consitute a strongly nonlinear, coupled BVP which is solved monolithically using a finite element framework. Evolving domains associated with layer-wise material addition are treated using a stress-free activation strategy, while surface and bulk elements are handled separately in order to represent phase- and temperature-dependent boundary conditions. Numerical examples demonstrate how temperature histories influence phase transformations, melt pool sizes, residual stress accumulation, and part distortion, highlighting the capability of the proposed framework to address the complex BVP encountered in PBF-LB/M build scenarios. REFERENCES [1] I. Noll, L. Koppka, T. Bartel and A. Menzel. A micromechanically motivated multiscale approach for residual distortion in laser powder bed fusion processes. Additive Manufacturing 60, 103277, 2022. [2] M. Schewe, I. Noll, T. Bartel and A. Menzel. Towards the simulation of metal deposition with the Particle Finite Element Method and a phase transformation model. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 437, 117730, 2025.
