Powder Bed Fusion Processes

This chapter helps the students to gain a clear understanding of the physics behind the powder bed fusion (PBF) processes. It identifies the main governing equations for heat transfer by conduction and fluid flow in the melt pool. The chapter also helps to gain an understanding of the numerical models and techniques employed in the description of the heat transfer during laser PBF. There are substantial similarities between the physics and governing equations of directed energy deposition processes, and physics and governing equations of PBF processes. The chapter discusses two main PBF processes: LPBF and electron beam PBF (EB‐PBF). In the LPBF process, four stages can be identified based on the laser–powder bed interaction: absorption, heat conduction, melting and shrinkage, and resolidification. The Lattice Boltzmann method was introduced to be very useful for modeling melt pool evolution during the EB‐PBF process.