Reconstruction of residual stresses in additively manufactured Inconel 718 bridge structures using contour method

Abstract Residual stresses play a critical role in the performance and reliability of additively manufactured components, particularly in geometrically complex structures fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM). Bridge-like structures, in particular, experience significant residual stress concentrations due to localized heat accumulation and constrained thermal expansion. This study presents a novel application of the OxCM contour method solver for high-resolution planar mapping of residual stress distribution in an additively manufactured Inconel 718 bridge structure with 12 legs of varying sizes. By employing optimized data smoothing techniques and leveraging Saint–Venant’s principle, this work enhances the accuracy of stress reconstruction while ensuring physical consistency. The results reveal tensile stresses along the edges and compressive stresses concentrated in the central region, with local variations influenced by bridge-like features. This study contributes to the field by providing critical insights into the interplay between geometry and residual stress in SLM components and demonstrating the effectiveness of the contour method for detailed stress characterization. The findings offer a foundation for optimizing process parameters and structural designs to improve the reliability and performance of additively manufactured parts in aerospace, automotive, and energy applications.