When producing components with laser powder bed fusion, support structures can account for up to 30% of the total component volume. With currently used standard hatching strategies, i.e. the position and sequence of the laser paths, overhanging structures of less than 45° have to be printed with support structures. Otherwise local overheating and thus poor surface quality, distortion and missing connection to underlying layers occur. The support structures have to be individually adapted not only to the components being printed but also to the used materials.

The aim is to significantly reduce the necessary support structures in laser powder bed fusion by developing a reliable simulation-based method for automatic component and material-specific adaptation of the hatching strategies.

The reduction of support structures shortens the process cycle by eliminating costly and time-consuming post-processing steps. Another positive aspect of the lower amount of support structures is the saved material. The used powder can be recycled and reused, but support structures make a major source of material waste during the manufacturing process.

Simulations were carried out on the commonly used alloys AlSi10Mg and 316l. Specimens with overhangs of up to 20° were manufactured. A transfer to other alloys is planned. The poster shows the first results.