Spreading of highly cohesive metal powders with transverse oscillation kinematics

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Weissbach, Reimar, Adams, Garrett, Praegla, Patrick M., Meier, Christoph, Hart, A. John
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Weissbach, Reimar
Adams, Garrett
Praegla, Patrick M.
Meier, Christoph
Hart, A. John
author_facet Weissbach, Reimar
Adams, Garrett
Praegla, Patrick M.
Meier, Christoph
Hart, A. John
contents Powder bed additive manufacturing processes such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) or binder jetting (BJ) benefit from using fine (D50 $\leq20~μm$) powders. However, the increasing level of cohesion with decreasing particle size makes spreading a uniform and continuous layer challenging. As a result, LPBF typically employs a coarser size distribution, and rotating roller mechanisms are used in BJ machines, that can create wave-like surface profiles due to roller run-out. In this work, a transverse oscillation kinematic for powder spreading is proposed, explored computationally, and validated experimentally. Simulations are performed using an integrated discrete element-finite element (DEM-FEM) framework and predict that transverse oscillation of a non-rotating roller facilitates the spreading of dense powder layers (beyond 50% packing fraction) with a high level of robustness to kinematic parameters. The experimental study utilizes a custom-built mechanized powder spreading testbed and X-ray transmission imaging for the analysis of spread powder layers. Experimental results generally validate the computational results, however, also exhibit parasitic layer cracking. For transverse oscillation frequencies above 200 Hz, powder layers of high packing fraction (between 50-60%) were formed, and for increased layer thicknesses, highly uniform and continuous layers were deposited. Statistical analysis of the experimental powder layer morphology as a function of kinematic spreading parameters revealed that an increasing transverse surface velocity improves layer uniformity and reduces cracking defects. This suggests that with minor improvements to the machine design, the proposed transverse oscillation kinematic has the potential to result in thin and consistently uniform powder layers of highly cohesive powder.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_18981
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Spreading of highly cohesive metal powders with transverse oscillation kinematics
Weissbach, Reimar
Adams, Garrett
Praegla, Patrick M.
Meier, Christoph
Hart, A. John
Applied Physics
Computational Engineering, Finance, and Science
Powder bed additive manufacturing processes such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) or binder jetting (BJ) benefit from using fine (D50 $\leq20~μm$) powders. However, the increasing level of cohesion with decreasing particle size makes spreading a uniform and continuous layer challenging. As a result, LPBF typically employs a coarser size distribution, and rotating roller mechanisms are used in BJ machines, that can create wave-like surface profiles due to roller run-out. In this work, a transverse oscillation kinematic for powder spreading is proposed, explored computationally, and validated experimentally. Simulations are performed using an integrated discrete element-finite element (DEM-FEM) framework and predict that transverse oscillation of a non-rotating roller facilitates the spreading of dense powder layers (beyond 50% packing fraction) with a high level of robustness to kinematic parameters. The experimental study utilizes a custom-built mechanized powder spreading testbed and X-ray transmission imaging for the analysis of spread powder layers. Experimental results generally validate the computational results, however, also exhibit parasitic layer cracking. For transverse oscillation frequencies above 200 Hz, powder layers of high packing fraction (between 50-60%) were formed, and for increased layer thicknesses, highly uniform and continuous layers were deposited. Statistical analysis of the experimental powder layer morphology as a function of kinematic spreading parameters revealed that an increasing transverse surface velocity improves layer uniformity and reduces cracking defects. This suggests that with minor improvements to the machine design, the proposed transverse oscillation kinematic has the potential to result in thin and consistently uniform powder layers of highly cohesive powder.
title Spreading of highly cohesive metal powders with transverse oscillation kinematics
topic Applied Physics
Computational Engineering, Finance, and Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.18981