Introduction

The Additive Manufacturing (AM) Scenario within the 3DEXPERIENCE SIMULIA portfolio leverages the power of the Abaqus solver to efficiently predict and mitigate manufacturing defects like distortion and residual stress. The Eigenstrain Method (also known as the Inherent Strain Method) is a fast and computationally efficient approach for this purpose, offering a significant advantage over detailed, time-consuming thermo-mechanical analyses.

The Eigenstrain Method

The Eigenstrain method simplifies the complex, multi-physics Additive Manufacturing process by pre-calculating the inelastic strains that result from the rapid thermal cycling (melting and cooling). These strains, known as eigenstrains (or inherent strains), are then prescribed to the finite elements as they are activated layer by layer in a structural analysis.

Key Concepts:

• Eigenstrain: The permanent, inelastic strain tensor (elastic, plastic, and thermal strains combined) that accumulates in the material after a complete melt/solidification cycle.
• Decoupling: The method decouples the thermal and mechanical analyses. The structural analysis only requires a single Static Stress Analysis step in Abaqus/Standard, drastically reducing computation time compared to a fully coupled thermal-stress simulation.
• Solver Requirement: This simulation is typically performed using Abaqus/Standard.

Summary of Advantages: The Eigenstrain method in 3DEXPERIENCE SIMULIA and Abaqus provides a verified, quick, and cost-effective solution for predicting AM distortion and residual stress at the macro-scale, avoiding the computational intensity of full thermo-mechanical coupling.

Edu SIMULIA Simulation AdditiveManufacturing 3DEXPERIENCE