“Laser metal deposition is an additive manufacturing method with great scope and robustness. The wire fed additive manufacturing method has great opportunities in space applications and other zero gravity manufacturing processes. Process parameters play an important role in controlling the complex phenomenon and obtaining an ideal manufactured part. These parameters can be efficiently determined using simulation tools which are highly essential in visualizing real world experiments, therefore saving time and experimental costs. The objective of this study is to develop a transient 3D model of laser aided wire feed metal deposition which realizes the heat transfer and fluid flow behavior of the melt pool and wire deposition with varying process parameters. The model was programmed in Python and a 1 KW Gaussian beam fiber laser was used to conduct experiments. Design of experiments was utilized to determine all possible levels of factors and experiments were conducted on Ti-6Al-4V alloy with and without wire deposition to establish the behavior of the critical outputs with varying parameters. The effect of laser exposure to the melt pool profile and deposit profile is obtained and the results are compared with the model. The comparison of simulation and experimental results shows that this model can successfully predict the temperature profile, fluid characteristics and solidified metal profile. The optimum input parameters based on material properties can be identified using this model”--Abstract, page iii
