Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing : FEA Based Design and Optimization with Simufact, Abaqus, ANSYS and MSC Apex
FEA & CFD Based Simulation Design Analysis Virtual prototyping MultiObjective Optimization
With additive manufacturing, the design is not constrained by traditional manufacturing requirements and specific number of design parameters. Nonparametric optimization with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in coupled with Finite Element method, can be used to produce functional designs with the least amount of material. Additive manufacturing simulations are key in assessing a finished part’s quality. Here at Enteknograte, dependent of the problem detail, we use advanced tools such as MSC Apex Generative Design, Simufact Additive, Digimat, Abaqus and Ansys.
Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a method of manufacturing parts typically from powder or wire using a layer by layer approach. Interest in metal based additive manufacturing processes has taken off in the past few years. The three-major metal additive manufacturing processes in use today are powder bed fusion (PBF), directed energy deposition (DED) and binder jetting processes.
Enteknograte Engineering Team propose special simulation tools for each of these processes. With additive manufacturing, the design is not constrained by traditional manufacturing requirements and specific number of design parameters. Nonparametric optimization with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence in coupled with Finite Element method, can be used to produce functional designs with the least amount of material.
Additive manufacturing simulations are key in assessing a finished part’s quality. The physics behind the manufacturing process can be accurately recreated in software platforms, and enabling end to end digitalization and so on, factors which will be crucial in the service life of a part.
Our solution’s functionality helps you to answer challenges in Metal AM (Additive Manufacturing) Finite Element Simulation-based design and Optimization:
- Identify the best build orientation
- Determine and compensate final part distortionGenerate and optimize support structures
- Process window pre-scanning tool
- Powder coating
- Melt pool shape and dimensions
- Consolidated material porosity
- Surface roughness
- Thermal history as a function of deposition strategy
- Residual stresses
- Distortion during build process and after release
- Identify manufacturing issues such as cracks, layer offsets, recoater contact
- Predict the influence of several components in the build space
- Identify cold and hot spots due to thermal/thermo-mechanical simulation
- Examine conditions of highly elevated temperatures and pressures – HIP proces
Optimizing the design parameters for additive manufacturing
FEA Based Simulation enable our engineering team to gain insight into the microscale meltpool phenomena by performing full factorial studies with various process parameters for determine the best process parameters for any machine/material combination, and ensures the achievement of the highest integrity parts, as well as the expected microstructure and physical properties:
- Optimize and fine-tune their machine and material parameters.
- Develop new metal powders and metal AM (Additive Manufacturing ) materials and material specifications.
- Determine optimum machine/material parameters.
- Control microstructure and material properties.
- Manufacture using new metal powders faster and more efficiently.
- Reduce the number of experiments needed to qualify components.
- Mitigate risk while accelerating innovation.
- Analyze Porosity and Meltpools.
- Thermal history and microstructure information.
- Determines the percentage of porosity in a part due to lack of fusion.
Additive Manufacturing of Plastics, Reinforced Polymers & Composites
Additive manufacturing of plastics and composites is evolving from rapid prototyping to industrial production. We use advanced additive manufacturing simulation platforms such as MSC Digimat, Ansys and Abaqus for simulation solution for manufacturing process of Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) of reinforced materials. For printer manufacturers and end-users, the part fidelity is the top challenge to overcome. Simulation-based design allows our engineers to predict warpage and residual stresses of a polymer part as a function of the manufacturing process parameters. We can further optimize the process and minimize the part deformation right at their fingertips.
Metal Binder Jetting: Finite Element Simulation-Based Design
Metal Binder Jetting (MBJ) is an emerging additive manufacturing technology that has several key advantages over common Powder Bed Fusion processes; high volumes of parts can be printed with minimal spacing; no support structures are needed, and larger lot sizes are possible. It has the potential to replace low-volume, high-cost metal injection moulding for everything from automotive and aircraft parts to medical applications.
Directed Energy Deposition (DED), Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) & Laser Metal Deposition (LMD)
DED incorporates several metal 3D printing technologies that create parts by melting and fusing material as it is deposited, and is also known as 3D Laser Cladding, Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), Direct Metal Deposition (DMD), or Laser Metal Deposition (LMD). It’s typical fields of application are repairing and rebuilding damaged parts, but also manufacturing of new large metal parts that may not be possible with Powder Bed Fusion.
Generative Design for Additive Manufacturing & Lattice Structures: Topology, Shape and Bead Optimization
Generative Design is an innovation that significantly alters this way of thinking. It leverages topology optimization, artificial intelligence, and advanced simulation which automatically creates multiple viable design alternatives by specifying simple design criteria.
For additive manufacturing, Optimized structure is the most important thing, and there is big effort to include all aspect of real-world physics to simulation for accurately simulate the process. In the early stages of design, FEA based Simulation in combination with artificial intelligence for topology optimization, shape optimization, bead optimization and lattice structures design, can reveal various design options to reduce weight and materials, while also maintaining and improving the rigidity and durability of the product.
WE WORK WITH YOU
We pride ourselves on empowering each client to overcome the challenges of their most demanding projects.
Enteknograte offers a Virtual Engineering approach with FEA tools such as MSC Softwrae(Simufact, Digimat, Nastran, MSC APEX, Actran Acoustic solver), ABAQUS, Ansys, and LS-Dyna, encompassing the accurate prediction of in-service loads, the performance evaluation, and the integrity assessment including the influence of manufacturing the components.
