Validity of Thermal Simulation Models for Different Laser Beam Shapes in Bead-on-Plate Melting

Computational models that predict melt pool shapes and temperature evolution in laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) can range from simple thermal simulation models to more advanced models that incorporate more detailed physics of the process. While advanced models can accurately predict thermal fields and melt pool fluid dynamics, they are computationally more expensive and, thus, less suited for part-scale simulations or numerical optimization, where repeated model evaluations are necessary. On the other hand, thermal simulations are computationally efficient and attractive for their simplicity, but their accuracy is mainly limited to conduction-dominated processes. Moreover, the conduction model’s validity range is not fully understood for non-Gaussian laser beam shapes. This paper demonstrates that predictions of melt pool depth and width carried out by a heat conduction model are accurate to within 20 % for all investigated laser profiles, provided that the simulated maximum temperature does not exceed a certain threshold value for stainless steel 316L. This is established by thoroughly investigating the validity range of the heat conduction model through comparisons with over 200 single-track experiments on bare plates. The temperature predictions from the model are compared with multi-physics simulations using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH). Through detailed analysis and validation for three laser beam shapes, this contribution provides valuable insights into the accuracy and applicability of heat conduction models in bead-on-plate melting simulations and offers a path to optimize process parameters, such as laser beam shape, scanning strategy, and other processes for diverse applications aimed at PBF-LB/M.