Densification and Distortion in Selective Laser Sintering of Polycarbonate

The creation of a 3D numerical model for real part accuracy simulations is the goal of this work. An improvement of a first attempt to predict densification, which used a classical moving heat source calculation and a viscous sintering model, is reported: it includes a numerical thermal calculation with thermal properties allowed to vary with temperature. A study of polycarbonate part 'curl' distortion is also reported. The development of curl at part edges and with part thickness is followed. Mechanical and thermal reasons are sought as to why the distortion is concentrated at edges.