A numerical study on the packing quality of fibre/polymer composite powder for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

A discrete element model has been developed to simulate the packing process of fibre/polymer composite powder for powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. The geometric shapes of polymer powder particles and fibres are represented by multi-sphere particles and individual cylinders with round ends, respectively. The numerical model can help to understand the flow dynamics of composite powder particles and the formation mechanisms of voids in powder packing processes. The numerical model has been utilised to analyse the effects of packing parameters on the packing quality of the powder bed. The simulation results suggest that the increase of the powder layer thickness is beneficial for increasing the packing density and lowering the surface roughness of the powder bed. A high roller spreading velocity degrades the packing quality of the powder bed. A small number of fibres in the composite powder particles are in favour of the packing quality, while excessive fibres reduce the packing quality of the powder bed.

Automated summary

A discrete element model was developed to simulate the packing process of fibre/polymer composite powder, analyzing the effects of powder layer thickness, roller spreading velocity, and fibre quantity on packing quality. The model suggested that increasing powder layer thickness improves packing density, while high spreading velocity and excessive fibres degrade packing quality.