Multiphysics modelling of wire-based directed energy deposition process with experimental validation

The laser-assisted wire-directed energy deposition (DED) process has distinct advantages over the laser-assisted powder DED process. The material usage efficiency of wire-DED is predominantly higher than the powder-DED process. As versatile as the DED process can be, its multiphysics in situ integrated with the process parameters is key to achieving a qualitative layer deposition. This research demonstrates a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the coaxial multiple laser-assisted single wire-DED process in conjunction with the already published experimental coaxial laser-assisted single wire-DED process. This wire-DED process involves four lasers coaxially aligned with its central axis for a single wire feed. The CFD model helps predict the wire melting, mass transfer, and melt pool dynamics that are otherwise difficult to understand using the experiments. The geometric dimensions of the simulated thin wall and the experimental thin wall match greatly throughout the length of the deposition. This experimental validation further allows one to study the effect of multiple laser incident angles on the single wire, wire-multiple laser interactions, and its cumulative impact on the deposition.