Modelling of Selective Laser Melting Process of Quartz Glass at Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

Selective laser melting (SLM) to date is the method of additive manufacturing allowing fabricating products from powder layer-by-layer according to a 3D model. However, when applying this method to fragile materials, parts crack while fabricating due to high temperatures. Quartz glass is a promising material for fabricating products by SLM without cracks due to a low thermal expansion. However, quality of fabricated material differs from the fused cast ones. This article aims to test the method of SLM with preheating to improve the material quality. Experiments on single track formation in SLM are analysed by modelling the coupled processes of heat transfer and powder consolidation in the laser-interaction zone. The mathematical model is validated by the experiments. It is shown that the preheating can improve the material quality and increase the process productivity but overheating may result in undesirable crystallization.