Prediction of Residual Stresses of 3d-Printed Plates Utilizing SYSWELD

Abstract

Investigating how residual stress distribution evolves with increasing build height (number of layers) is crucial for understanding scalability and dimensional control in additive manufacturing. Post-processing, such as unclamping, machining, and heat treatment, interacts with the existing stress state and influences varying build heights (number of layers). This was the subject of speculation of many up-to-date researchers. Among the drawbacks of the residual stress is its impact on fatigue crack propagation. This work investigates the residual stress prediction in 3D-printed plates using the SYSWELD simulation software. The investigation covers the evolved residual stress after finishing each of the manufacturing phase. It focuses on the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) process, a widely used metal 3D-printing technique. The SYSWELD finite element software was utilized for predicting the residual stress after clamping, unclamping, surface finishing and heat treatment. The study aims to improve simulation accuracy by incorporating a round-layer design model, which better represents the actual deposition process compared to traditional layer-based approaches. Fourteen sets of results for different numbers of layers, ranging from 5 layers to 150 layers. The use of SYSWELD facilitate modeling the thermal and mechanical behavior of the printed plates, incorporating factors such as heat input, material properties, and cooling effects. The study ends with providing a way of predicting the expected residual stress after each process of additive manufacturing.