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The additive manufacturing technology Selective laser melting (SLM) also referred as
laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a technique that can produce intricate metallic parts in
3D. However, maintaining an accurate surface finish and shape can be difficult because
of the dynamic thermal cycles of melting and solidification. To produce high-quality
products, it is essential to maintain the dynamic stability of melt pool in SLM. This
requires studying the temperature distribution and thermal behaviour within the pool. In
this study, a Finite Element Modelling (FEM) approach that was experimentally verified
was utilized to precisely ascertain the thermal profiles and dimensions of the molten pool.
To investigate the impact of different process variables on the shape of the pool during
the selective laser melting (SLM) of SS316L powder, a transient model was employed. A
FEM model was proposed to evaluate the temperature gradient and characteristics of the
molten pool during SLM, with laser penetration depth also taken into account. The
proposed heat source model was calibrated with data from the literature. The FEM model
was subsequently adjusted and validated through further experimentation to ensure that it
accurately predicts the melt pool dimensions and temperature profiles. The model findings
were consistent with the experimental data, and the effects of interlayer and intertrack
were examined. For each layer and track, the molten pool depth, width, and length of the
and the temperature distribution were assessed, and the findings were analyzed for each
variable. The FEM model had relative errors of 1.88%, 1.49%, and 2.12% for the
predicted melt pool length, width, and depth, respectively, compared to the experimental
measurements, for a range of optimal parameters.