Numerical Thermal Analysis in Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing with Preheating Effects

In an early study, a thermal model has been developed, using finite element simulations, to study the temperature field and response in the electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) process, with an ability to simulate single pass scanning only. In this study, an investigation was focused on the initial thermal conditions, redesigned to analyze a critical substrate thickness, above which the preheating temperature penetration will not be affected. Extended studies are also conducted on more complex process configurations, such as multi-layer raster scanning, which are close to actual operations, for more accurate representations of the transient thermal phenomenon.