SAMPLE3D: A Versatile Numerical Tool for Investigating Texture and Grain Structure of Materials Processed by PBF Processes

Abstract

Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) not only enables the fabrication of metal parts with complex geometries in near-net-shape, but also offers the potential to tailor the microstructure and, consequently, the mechanical properties of the final product. In this contribution, we present our in-house developed simulation software SAMPLE3D (Simulation of Additive Manufacturing on the Powder scale using a Laser or Electron beam in 3D), which is designed specifically for simulating grain structure evolution during PBF processes. The core of SAMPLE3D is composed of a finite difference model and a cellular automaton model. The finite difference model is used to obtain the temperature field caused by an electron or laser beam. This temperature field is further used in the cellular automaton model to simulate grain structure development where grain selection as well as nucleation is considered. A range of information can be extracted from the simulation results, such as texture, grain morphology, and grain boundary arrangement. SAMPLE3D provides a way to get insight into the relationship between PBF process strategies and microstructures. SAMPLE3D has been employed to investigate the texture and grain structure evolution of various materials in different research projects.

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