Additive manufacturing simulation with Abaqus subroutine & python | 3D printing Python

What is Additive manufacturing or 3D printing?

The process of building a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or digital 3D model is known as additive manufacturing or 3D printing. In an additive process, an object is made by adding layers of material one after another until the product is made. This process can be done via several methods in which material is joined, deposited, and solidified under computer control. The materials being added together could be made of plastics, liquids or powder grains being fused, etc. 3D printing python Abaqus modelling training package is a unique product that can help you to simulate 3D printing FEM fast and correctly.

Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing Python ABAQUS simulation

Why is Abaqus needed to model 3D printing? We do different simulations for the same reasons. examining the model’s deflection, the temperature and thermal conditions, the presence of any residual stress, etc. To prevent wasting money, it is also a good idea to check that the printer’s settings match the requirements of our model before printing. conditions such as temperature and material characteristics, etc.

This package will teach you to do this based on the use of subroutines and Python scripting and was done by a team with the goal of coding all the steps of 3D printing. 3D printing Python Abaqus simulation tutorial is one of the best training packages on the web about 3D printing FEM.

Using Scripting and Subroutines

In this method, we have three coding files. One is Python script, and the other two are USDFLD and DISP subroutines.

Python program: This program will handle every task for us. The code will create material attributes, sections, interactions, and pretty much everything else that has to be done in the Abaqus GUI. Simply execute the script, provide some inputs, and wait for the simulation to finish. In terms of modelling, you must build your model using CAD software or Abaqus, layer it, and then save the individual layers as “igs” files. The directory path of these files should be one of the inputs you enter when running the script.

USDFLD subroutine: The elasticity of 3D printed objects is not constant and changes throughout the process, thus we utilise the USDFLD subroutine to calculate its elasticity properties. According to the following references, the formulas used in this lesson to determine elasticity: “Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing, Fundamentals of
Stereolithography“, “Curl Distortion Analysis During
Photopolymerisation of Stereolithography Using Dynamic Finite Element
Method“.

The formulas and equations are explained in the “3D printing Python” tutorial video completely. Of course, you can apply your own equations and assumptions to calculate the elasticity.

DISP procedure: The DISP subroutine will compute the temperature variations that occur during the process. Our presumptions serve as the foundation for the calculations utilized to determine the temperature changes. You are free to use any references to apply yours.

Each use a unique variation of the Python code in this manner. The first session replicates the 3D printing of gear using a standardized model-specific version of the Python programming language. If you layer the model, all of the layers must match in order for it to be considered a uniform model. In this workshop, you only need to build one layer of your model in CAD software or Abaqus, then save it as a “igs” file. When you execute the code, you’ll then need to enter the file’s directory path and a few other parameters before waiting for the task to be finished.

We can also use AM plug-in to simulate additive manufacturing or 3d printing FEM. If you are interested in having both methods, I recommend the “Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing simulation in ABAQUS” package.