Learning Forum

[Vity_4]

As part of my Thesis, I am willing to simulate FDM of metals (80% metal+PLA), by using the Ansys Student package and my department`s Additive 19.1.nI dont know if you could simulate this process with that software, as Student seems to only simulate plastics FDM, and Additive user guide only talks about metal sintering (DMLS/SLM). Also, Additive is necesary to create the supports, or I only need Student`s?nThanks on advance.n

[John Doyle]

As you probably have already read, the ANSYS Additive tools offer PowderBedFusion (PBF) or Direct Energy Deposition (DED) methods for use with metals only. FDM is more common for plastics AM. It sounds like you are using it for some hybrid composite of metal-and plastic. The distortions can be much higher with polymers vs metal AM if the FDM machine does not have a heating chamber. Most inexpensive FDM 3D printers as well as large ones lack a heated chamber. In those cases, distortion compensation could be quite useful to them. An inherent strain approach, where you calibrate the strain to experiments, might prove valuable if your part volumes and/or cost are high enough. Other than for inherent strain (assumed uniform strain) the current Additive Suite would give little value for the FDM method.n