AM Process Parameters
26.1.0

Supported Ansys versions:

2026 R1

Required Product:

Additive

The AM Process Parameters™ (AMPP) application allows exploration of process parameters in the additive manufacturing technology of laser powder-bed fusion.

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App Description

The AM Process Parameters™ (AMPP) application allows exploration of process parameters in the additive manufacturing technology of laser powder-bed fusion. Simple setup and various run options allows easy simulation of single bead, porosity and 2D microstructure. Results can be viewed together to determine optimal process parameters. A library of materials is provided and there is support for custom materials.

Key Benefits

Simulate process outcomes without consuming expensive materials or machine time.
Explore a wide range of process parameters and material options.
Provides essential data on melt pool geometry, porosity, and microstructure to guide parameter selection.
The process parameters can then be fine-tuned to get the desired material behavior.

Use Cases

Single Bead Simulations: A Single Bead Parametric simulation is a tool used to obtain information about the melt pool characteristics of your selected material. It is set up to follow the industry practice of testing single beads on PBF machines, in which the laser runs in one single scan line across powder. The goal is to determine the geometry of the melt pool. Geometry refers to melt pool width, length, and depth, as shown in the following figure. Using simulation is a good way for you to see how process parameters affect melt pool characteristics without using a lot of expensive material and machine time.

Porosity Simulations: Following Single Bead Parametric simulations, typically you will want to expand your exploration to include Porosity Parametric simulations. Porosity simulations are used to obtain information about the level of porosity in additively manufactured material. They are set up to follow the industry practice of building full 3D cubes (or cuboids) on PBF machines in which many layers are printed using your chosen material and scan pattern.

Microstructure Simulations: Microstructure simulations produce grain orientation and grain boundary results of the material for three 2D planes (XY, XZ, and YZ) simulating typical results of EBSD laboratory tests. Grain size distribution and orientation angle distribution are output in graph form using a circle equivalence method and orientation map for all three planes, respectively. Microstructure simulations are parametric so you can run several permutations to determine which process parameters will affect grain size the most. A Specific Random Seed input parameter may be used to instigate the same nucleation pattern for a given set of process conditions so that comparison simulations are possible.