Melt Pool Simulation Technology of Laser Powder Bed Fusion: A Review

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) involves the coupling of multiple physical fields at different scales. Capturing the dynamic flow and thermal behavior of the melt pool during the L-PBF process through experimentation and predicting its quality is challenging, thus numerical simulation becomes a valuable method. The simulation results enable the prediction and assessment of the impact of material and process parameter changes on the quality of the final product. This paper reviews the methods for selecting appropriate models, performing simulation calculations, and analyzing the results. This paper makes several noteworthy contributions. It provides a comprehensive summary of the physical model, heat loss model, required heat source for simulations, and stresses generated within the melt pool. Furthermore, it explores the practical applications of L-PBF melt pool simulations, especially in defect analysis and the fabrication of complex structures. Finally, it concludes with an insightful analysis of the current trends in L-PBF simulations and outlines potential research directions to advance the development of melt pool simulations.