A Review on Energy Consumption and Efficiency of Selective Laser Melting Considering Support: Advances and Prospects

Selective laser melting (SLM) exhibits excellent manufacturing accuracy and forming ability. However, the laser beam layering process is characterized by high specific energy consumption, long manufacturing cycle, and low energy efficiency. The use of supports increases the SLM building quality and eliminates defects caused by thermal and residual stresses; however, an improper support structural design increases the process energy consumption for manufactured parts. To control energy consumption and building quality during SLM, this study first discusses the main challenges related to energy saving and improving the building quality by performing an energy consumption analysis, process energy consumption optimization, and supporting structure optimization. The obtained results reveal that it is difficult to achieve high building quality only by controlling the process parameters and energy consumption by the SLM equipment. Next, the effect of supporting structures on the process energy consumption is examined to enable the construction of an SLM energy consumption model that considers the presence of supports. Finally, the effect of supports on the building quality is elucidated by studying the influence of supporting structures on thermal and residual stresses. By identifying the most energy-efficient support, the process energy efficiency and building quality may be simultaneously optimized. The proposed method represents a new approach to reducing energy consumption and improving the building quality during SLM. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for the subsequent industrial applications, providing a thorough literature review and describing the existing challenges in the SLM manufacturing field.