Modeling of the scanning track formation in the selective laser melting process of 316L steel

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a process that allows to create complex parts with high precision. It involves melting the powder layer by layer using laser radiation to create a solid object. The purpose of this research is to study how different laser parameters affect the size of the melt pool size in the sample. To achieve this goal, the power, scanning speed and diameter of the focal spot of the laser are adjusted. It is reached through numerical modeling and experimental methods. COMSOL Multiphysics model material properties and system behavior. The results of the simulation are graphs of the dependence of the melting zone on the variable parameters. With increasing laser power, the size of the melting zone also increases. As the scanning speed increases, only the length of the zone increases, while the width and depth decrease. Increasing the size of the focal spot first increases the size, but then begins to reduce them. The experimental data obtained because of measuring the dimensions corresponds to the simulation results. This research helps to better understand the SLM process and can be used to optimize processing parameters to achieve desired sample properties.