Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Arc-Based Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is gaining rapid popularity in many industries like automotive, medical, electronics and aerospace due to its flexibility to build parts with complex geometry. Nowadays, laser/electron-beam/arc melting or deposition are commonly used for AM of metallic parts. Melting-solidification and melt flow repeatedly occur in the AM process, which are critical in determining the final shape, precision, and quality of the AM products. In this study, melt flow and heat transfer in arc-based metallic additive manufacturing process are discussed. The key parameters affecting the fluid flow; heat transfer; defect formation; and surface topology of the AM parts are investigated.