Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is an additive manufacturing technology involving a gradual build-on of layers to form a complete component typically starting with a powder. Since Fe-based materials with nanoscale compounds exhibit a distributed magnetic transition, which leads to broader magnetic entropy curves with better magnetocaloric refrigerants, printing such FeNi structures offers the possibility to tailor appropriate microstructures.

In this contribution we present results from molecular dynamics simulations, where we explore the possibility to print FeNi alloys from powder blends and prealloyed particles. We are focusing on the first premelting stage, when the powder is indirectly heated by the heat wave in front of the laser spot. We analyze the intermixing and liquid-solid transitions as well as the characteristic time scales for interdiffusion, wetting and solidification. Our results reveal, the formation of the intermetallic L10 phase is massively hindered by the fast kinetics in the LBPF process. Morever we show, that complete intermixing of the powder blend in the molten stage is not possible during a single laser shot even on the nanoscale.