TEMPLUM: A Process Adapted Numerical Simulation Code for The 3D Predictive Assessment of Laser Surface Heat Treatments in Planar Geometry

Abstract

A process adapted numerical simulation code for the 3D predictive assessment of laser heat treatment of materials has been developed. Primarily intended for the analysis of the laser transformation hardening of steels, the code has been successfully applied for the predictive characterization of other metallic and non metallic materials posing specific difficulties from the numerical point of view according to their extreme thermal and absorption properties. Initially based on a conventional FEM calculational structure, the developed code (TEMPLUM) reveals itself as an extremely useful prediction tool with specific process adapted features (not usually available in FEM heat transfer codes) in the field of laser heat treatment applications.