Designing of additive auxiliary support structure in the selective laser melting considering the milling of thin-walled parts

The support structure acts as an auxiliary structure for selective laser melting (SLM) part forming. The structural characteristics affect the residual stress distribution of the molded part, necessitating an investigation into its influence on SLM AlSi10Mg alloy. This paper proposes a support structure suitable for processing thin-walled parts based on a combination of numerical simulation and conventional experiments. The experiments are generally consistent with the numerical results, and the study shows that the simulation results can be reliably used to calculate residual stress and strain. The study initiates by comparing the effects of four types of bracing structures on residual stress in various regions of thin-walled parts. A hybrid support structure is obtained by selecting the support structure in different regions. The study thoroughly investigates how the hybrid support structure, with varied support tooth parameters, affects residual stress in different regions of thin-walled parts. Optimal parameters for the hybrid support structure are identified, enhancing its effectiveness in mitigating residual stress. Finally, the milling experiments of the optimal hybrid support structure are carried out, and it is found that the milling force is reduced by about 19% and the flatness is reduced by about 16% compared with other hybrid support structures.