Research Articles

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an advanced additive manufacturing technology that is widely used in multiple fields. This study investigated the effects of laser power and scanning speed on the SLS melt pool using FLOW-3D numerical simulations and experimental validation. The raw material was a mixture of walnut shell powder and copolyester (co-PES) hot melt adhesive powder. Experimental temperature measurements confirmed the numerical model’s accuracy, revealing a deviation of less than 10% between the simulated and actual center temperatures of the melt pool. The results demonstrated that a stable, continuous single-track melt pool was achieved under optimal parameters of 10 W laser power and 1400 mm/s scanning speed. Conversely, increasing the scanning speed to 1600 to 2200 mm/s at a constant 10 W power substantially reduced thermal energy input. This reduction induced a transition to metastable melt pools, ultimately leading to the formation of semi-melted particles. These insights can provide a basis for optimization of SLS manufacturing parameters.