To enhance the integration of simulation techniques in metallic additive manufacturing, the NAFEMS Metallic Additive Manufacturing Focus Team is introducing a series of example problems. These problems are designed to assess the capabilities of both engineers and their software in modeling the complexities involved in the additive manufacturing process.
This example problem highlights the buckling susceptibility of thin-walled structures due to the AM process. Solution techniques include sequentially coupled thermal-mechanical simulation, the inherent strain method, or a calibrated analytical thermal model integrated with structural finite element analysis. The ultimate goal is to qualitatively predict and understand the buckling behavior in thin-walled structures during the additive manufacturing process.
This example problem focuses on the prediction of residual stresses and distortion in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). It provides experimental data for WAAM walls produced with different numbers of deposited layers, including temperature histories, residual stress measurements, metallurgical observations, distortion measurements, and material properties. The problem is intended to support the comparison and validation of different modelling approaches, including detailed thermo-mechanical finite element analysis, inherent strain methods, thermal shrinkage approaches, and data-driven models.
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