Simulated Effect of Laser Beam Quality on the Robustness of Laser-Based AM System

In many metal AM techniques, a laser is used as the heat source and in some applications, it can be advantageous to work off of the focal plane. When operating outside of focus, the beam quality of the laser can have drastic impacts on the ability to manufacture quality parts. This study investigates the effect of the beam quality and distance from the focal plan on the ability to deposit Ti-64, aluminum, and steel through the simulation of the blown powder process.