Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel

Oğulcan Eren

Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel

Abstract

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is a widespread additive manufacturing method for precisely fabricating intricate metal parts. Despite its advantages, this process is highly sensitive to laser parameters, especially laser power, which determines the thermal behavior and the properties of the melt pool. In this study, transient finite element thermal analysis is presented to investigate the effect of varying laser power, quantified through Volumetric Energy Density (VED), on the temperature distribution and melt pool morphology in 316L stainless steel. This moving Gaussian laser transient thermal model implemented using Ansys Workbench was used to simulate single-track laser scanning. Unlike other complex finite element models, this simplified model is a practical tool that allows to predict thermal distribution in a computationally efficient manner. The results demonstrate that increasing VED leads to higher surface temperatures and deeper melt pools, transitioning from conduction-mode to keyhole-mode melting. Specifically, low VED conditions produced shallow melt pools that risk lack-of-fusion defects, while high VED resulted in geometries indicative of vaporization and keyhole instability. The research provides practical guidance on optimal power configurations and emphasizes the effectiveness of reduced-order thermal models for swift parametric analysis in LPBF.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors..

Project Number

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Numerical Methods in Mechanical Engineering

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Oğulcan Eren ^*
0000-0003-1904-1868
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 31, 2025

Submission Date

November 24, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 26, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 11 Number: 3

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Eren, O. (2025). Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel. Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences, 11(3), 481-494. https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG

AMA

1.Eren O. Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel. GJES. 2025;11(3):481-494. https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG

Chicago

Eren, Oğulcan. 2025. “Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel”. Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences 11 (3): 481-94. https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG.

EndNote

Eren O (December 1, 2025) Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel. Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences 11 3 481–494.

IEEE

[1]O. Eren, “Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel”, GJES, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 481–494, Dec. 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG

ISNAD

Eren, Oğulcan. “Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel”. Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences 11/3 (December 1, 2025): 481-494. https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG.

JAMA

1.Eren O. Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel. GJES. 2025;11:481–494.

MLA

Eren, Oğulcan. “Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel”. Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences, vol. 11, no. 3, Dec. 2025, pp. 481-94, https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG.

Vancouver

1.Oğulcan Eren. Numerical Investigation of Laser Power Effects on Thermal Distribution and Melt Pool Morphology in Laser Powder Bed Fusion of 316L Stainless Steel. GJES [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 1;11(3):481-94. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA83TJ48LG