Finite Element Simulation of Pre-Heating Effect on Melt Pool Size during Micro-Plasma Transferred Arc Deposition Process

Abstract

This paper reports on simulating the effect of substrate pre-heating on melt pool size during deposition of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) on the similar substrate material using micro-plasma transferred arc (-PTA) deposition process. It involved (i) three-dimensional finite element simulation (3D-FES) of pre-heating of Ti-6Al-4V substrate material within the range of 400-450 K using furnace, (ii) simulating the formation of melt pool on the pre-heated and non-heated substrate material along -PTA torch movement and (iii) image processing of the melt pool to predict its width and depth obtained by -PTA deposition process. Obtained results revealed that (i) pre-heated substrate exhibited good distribution of temperature as compared to substrate exposed to ambient temperature and (ii) increase in melt pool width and depth has been observed for pre-heated substrate as compared to melt pool formed at ambient temperature which reveals that pre-heated substrate can be effectively used for depositing titanium alloy. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.