Thermo-Mechanical Simulation of the Powder Bed of Polyamide 12 during the Selective Laser Sintering Process

Abstract

The selective laser sintering process is considered to be a new process among the most innovative techniques in the field of additive manufacturing, to facilitate the development and the technical improvement of this process, Thermo-mechanical investigation is necessary to control the SLS process, in this paper a thermo-mechanical simulation of selective laser sintering of polyamide 12 will be presented., this thermo-mechanical simulation was made under the COMSOL Multiphysics software, using Hook's law with the equilibrium and accounting equations for the calculation of the residual stresses appearing in the sintered layer of polyamide 12, this simulation was made for the prevention of deformations appeared in the final printed parts. The calculation of von Mises stress and the calculation of the magnitude of displacement within a sintered layer of polyamide 12 was done, with the analysis of the volumetric strain and the calculation of the volume: stress tensors, principal strain directions.