In metal additive applications, distortion can be a significant problem. As parts are produced, the melting and cooling of the material can result in warping and flaws that render the final product unusable. ESI Group has teamed with additive manufacturing solution provider AddUp on a new simulation product called Distortion Simulation AddOn that provides distortion simulation for users of the AddUp manager software.
With this simulation technology we can help our customers improve their operational efficiencies and responsiveness by significantly increasing the number of first-time-right parts. Vincent Ferreiro, CEO of AddUp
AddUp’s Metal Print Simulator
The simulation results indicate the physical characteristics of parts along with displacements, strains and residual stresses. It connects all of these with feasibility criteria that it calculates pre-production. As a result, it can anticipate the risks of production downtimes due to collisions with the roller or scraper and it produces a modified geometry at the end of the process.
The software certainly curbs the unpredictability of the process by being an intuitive pre-simulation. The module provides production continuity by directly integrating simulations in the pre-stages of the process. While this upstream process is ideal for industrial production, it’s also great for beginners. AddUp designed their metal print simulator to be intuitive on multiple scales, while promoting experimentation with forms.
Featured image courtesy of AddUp.