A partial shrinkage model for selective laser sintering of a two-component metal powder layer

A partial shrinkage model for selective laser sintering of a metal powder mixture that contains two kinds of metal powders with significantly different melting points is developed. Laser-induced melting accompanied by partial shrinkage, liquid metal flow driven by capillary and gravitational forces, and resolidification of the metal powder layer are modeled using a temperature transforming model. The effect of volume fraction of the gas in the sintered region on the sintering process is investigated.