Hexagon’s Simufact Additive Process and Defect Analysis tool has been commercially released a year after it was first announced.
The software technology company partnered with Raytheon Technologies in 2022 to develop a metal additive manufacturing simulation tool. The first commercial release of the software model was in December 2023.
This simulation tool was born from a combination of technologies from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division and Raytheon’s Pratt and Whitney business. It is hoped the software will be able to advance additive manufacturing workflows by predicting defects before the printing process begins, helping to save on time and cost, while also allowing operators to evaluate the print outcome and test combinations of materials, geometries and print processes.
The new tool, now labelled Simufact Additive Process and Defect Analysis, has been designed to evaluate and optimise metal additive manufacturing processes through the prediction of thermal history and defects at the laser path and powder layer scale. In particular, the software model has been designed to predict the risk of keyholding, lack of fusion, balling up and surface roughness, while also determining the process parameter window locally for any location within the part. Per a paper entitled Novel Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Process Simulation Approach for Location-Specific Defect Predictions within Full-Scale Geometries, the process parameter window is based on the local geometry and temperature of the substrate before the laser is applied. This is calculated by a ‘combined analytical/FE approach on the part scale’ and also depends on ‘material properties, operational conditions, and part geometry.’
“We’ve partnered with Raytheon Technologies to deliver an intuitive and accessible tool that will help engineers quickly predict and mitigate risks,” commented Jeff Robertson, Hexagon’s Director of Global Business Development, in November 2022. “The ability to evaluate full laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) parts on the meso-scale will reduce the effort to achieve part certification and thereby support industrialisation of metal 3D printing.”
“By combining our additive manufacturing expertise with Hexagon’s we’re bringing a solution to market that helps manufacturers with all levels of experience make better products with greater efficiency,” added David Furrer, Pratt & Whitney senior fellow for materials and processes.
