APPLICATION OF A DIGITAL TWIN FOR OPTIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF AN SLM 3D PRINTER

This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a digital twin for a selective laser melting (SLM) system designed for operation under constrained technical conditions. The proposed design includes a custom-built powder feeding and leveling mechanism, along with a telemetry module enabling realtime acquisition and analysis of thermal data. The digital twin is implemented as an integrated model that combines thermomechanical analysis, G-code execution, and corrective control of printing parameters. The mathematical foundation is based on the transient heat conduction equation with a volumetric heat source and a Gaussian distribution of laser power density.
An experimental setup employing pyrometers and thermocouples in the melt zone was used to validate the model. The comparison of simulated and measured data showed a mean absolute error of less than 2.5 °C. The application of the digital twin resulted in a 12–15% reduction in residual stresses, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The developed system demonstrates high efficiency in predictive quality control and can be integrated into adaptive control loops. The approach aligns with the Industry 4.0 concept, offering increased stability, repeatability, and reliability in SLM processes

1. Tulegulov A.D. Additivnye tekhnologii dlya sozdaniya metallicheskikh ob"ektov dlya voennoi tekhniki i vooruzheniya / A.D. Tulegulov, N.K. Yurkov // Vestnik Akademii natsional'noi gvardii Respubliki Kazakhstan. – 2024. – № 3(53). – S. 151-157. (In Russian).

2. Ispol'zovanie informatsionnykh tekhnologii CAD i CAE v additivnom proizvodstve / A.D. Tulegulov i dr. // Vestnik KaZUTB – 2025. – № 27. – S. 139-147. (In Russian).

3. Development and characterization of UV curable epoxy/hydroxyapatite suspensions for stereolithography applied to bone tissue engineering / F. Scalera et al // Ceramics International. – 2014. – T. 40, № 10. – P. 15455-15462. (In English).

4. A review of the additive manufacturing (3DP) of bioceramics: alumina, zirconia (PSZ) and hydroxyapatite / L. Ferrazé et al // Journal of the Australian Ceramic Society. – 2017. – T. 53, № 1. – P. 11-20. (In English).

5. Scheithauer U. Thermoplastic 3D printing – an additive manufacturing method for producing dense ceramics / U. Scheithauer // International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology. – 2015. – T. 12, – № 1. – P. 26-31. (In English).

6. A novel two-step sintering for nano-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering / P. Feng et al // Scientific reports. – 2014. – T. 4. (In English).

7. Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite with simultaneous enhancements in hardness and toughness / J. Wang et al // Biomaterials. – 2009. – T. 30, № 34. – P. 6565-6572. (In English).

8. Microwave-processed nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite: simultaneous enhancement of mechanical and biological properties / S. Bose et al // Acta Biomaterialia. – 2010. – T. 6, № 9. – P. 3782-3790. (In English).

9. Fabrication of dense hydroxyapatite nanobioceramics with enhanced mechanical properties via two-step sintering process / K. Lin et al // International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology. – 2011. – T. 9, № 3. – P. 479-485. (In English).

10. Structure and properties of nano-hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering with a selective laser sintering system / C. Shuai et al // Nanotechnology. – 2011. – T. 22, № 28. (In English).

11. Simulation of dynamic temperature field during selective laser sintering of ceramic powder / C. Shuai et al // Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems. – 2013. – T. 19, № 1. – P. 1-11. (In English).