Learn to Interpret Simulation Results: A Beginner's Guide to Magics' Free Tool
Failures in metal laser powder-bed fusion printing are frustrating. They waste material, time, energy, machine use — the list goes on. But here's the good news: simulation software helps you detect and divert the root causes of build failures. In this article, we’ll guide you through getting started with Magics’ free basic simulation tool and how to interpret its results effectively.
What's behind a failed build?
Before we dive into the simulation process, let's start with some basics.
Failed builds are typically the result of either:
- Dimensional deviations of the printed part that exceed tolerance limits
- Insufficient support structures
While other types of defects can occur, deformations and support failures are the most common culprits. The basic simulation tool in Magics can give you critical insights into both, helping you prevent costly build failures.
How does Magics' free simulation tool help?
Every Magics license includes a free basic version of the Ansys Simulation module.
While this version is uncalibrated for specific printers or materials, it still provides valuable insights into potential print errors.
The tool predicts total displacements, which may not offer exact values for your specific setup but are reliable enough to assess the scale of potential deformation and its effects on the final printed part.
For example, if the predicted displacements exceed the specified tolerances, it’s likely that those areas will fall out of tolerance and the support structures may struggle to handle the deformation forces.
Armed with this data, you can make smarter decisions about whether additional steps, like heat treatment, are needed — especially for materials like aluminum or 316L stainless steel.
Beyond practical benefits, the Basic Simulation tool is also a great educational resource. It helps you understand how changes to your process, such as adjusting density, affect your results, giving you a clearer picture of how to improve your builds.
Get started with tests
Your results from the Basic Simulation version will be fairly generic. To get a baseline understanding of how these deviations impact your production environment, it’s important to run tests and adjust your process accordingly. Here's how:
1. Determine the deviation for your material
Simulate both successful and failed builds, print them, and compare the results. Look for patterns — if the simulated displacements align consistently with the actual print results, you can factor that deviation into your future prints.
Keep in mind that every material behaves differently during the build process, even with the same printer. To get reliable insights, you’ll need to test each material and printer combination individually.
2. Verify part tolerance after printing
Once the part is printed, check whether it stays within the tolerances you’ve set. For example, if your tolerance is 1 mm and the total displacement exceeds that, take note of the affected areas. If the displacement is too high overall, you’ll need to optimize your build to get better results.
How to interpret the colors
The displacement values range from 0 to 2.6 mm and are represented on a color map that transitions from blue (lowest deviation) to green to red (highest deviation). Red areas signal where the displacement is nearing or exceeding the preferred tolerance of 1 mm, making them critical points to address.
Your goal is to pinpoint these problem areas. Use the 'Manually Defined Range' option to set the maximum allowable tolerance value. This narrows the focus, making it easier to identify regions that require adjustments.
For added flexibility, you can set tolerances specific to different material profiles, giving you a clearer view of critical regions. The visualization focuses on total displacement, with values scaled from minimum to maximum, helping you compare simulations and prioritize fixes. You'll find details on setting material profiles later on in the article.
Keep in mind that maximum displacement values tend to persist. While the premium version allows access to more advanced settings, switching back to total displacement restores the default configuration.
How to handle these results
Once you’ve analyzed the results, it’s time to decide on the next steps.
If your goal is to completely eliminate red regions, consider changing the part's orientation.
Not an option? That's okay, there are workarounds. Try adding cone supports to help minimize deformation. To do so, open the Support Generation tool, add tree supports, and re-run the simulation.
Simulating with support structures
After you've added support structures, go ahead and run the simulation. As it's uncalibrated, this process will involve some trial and error. Using a threshold of 1.1 as a reference value is a good starting point.
Adding supports (left) and results after adding supports (right)
Basic simulation is especially helpful for identifying deformations from previous failed builds. For example, if supports were ripped off parts during printing, the simulation’s deformation values can highlight those critical areas. By comparing real-world deformations with simulation results, you can better understand the root causes and make adjustments to avoid similar issues in the future.
Please note that, due to the lack of calibration, basic simulation tends to overestimate deformation by a factor of 1.3. So if a tolerance is 1 mm, the simulation might overestimate it to 1.3 mm. Adjusting the expected deformation to this overestimated value will help you more accurately align the simulation results with real-world deformations.
Tailor the simulation to your material
The Ansys Basic Simulation module includes four default material properties for the following eight materials:
- 17-4PH: Stainless Steel 17-4 Precipitation Hardening
- 316L: Stainless Steel 316 Low Carbon
- AIF357: Aluminum Alloy A357
- AlSi10Mg: Aluminum Silicon 10 Magnesium
- Co-Cr: Cobalt-Chromium Alloy
- Ni-Alloy 625: Nickel Alloy 625
- Ni-Alloy 718: Nickel Alloy 718
- Ti6Al4V: Titanium Alloy Ti-6Al-4V
One key property to consider is "E," which represents isotropic shrinkage of the layer. In the premium version, this property can even be customized specifically for the XY direction.
In reality, various factors, such as recoater direction, gas flow, laser paths, and scan fields, can influence the measurements and lead to differing results. To counteract this, users often average the results across two directions to balance out discrepancies.
To optimize your outcome, it’s essential to carefully orient the part. This helps account for these directional variations and ensures better printing results.
Now, you're ready to get started
With this tool in your kit, you’ll gain a clearer view of how parts may deform during the printing process. To make the most of these results, it’s essential to understand what level of deformation is acceptable for your specific application.
For a deeper analysis, such as identifying when supports might crack, you’ll need data on material elongation at the point of failure — something available in the Premium version.
The insights from Basic Simulation allow you to transform frustration into opportunity. With every simulation, you’re paving the way for greater precision, efficiency, and innovation.