Simulation Analysis of Temperature Change in FDM Process Based on ANSYS APDL and Birth–Death Element Technology

During the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) molding process, temperature changes are nonlinear and instantaneous, which is a key parameter affecting FDM printing efficiency, molding accuracy, warpage deformation, and other factors. This study presents a finite element simulation framework that integrates ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) with birth-death element technology to investigate the temperature evolution and thermomechanical behavior during the FDM process. The framework enables dynamic simulation of the complete printing and cooling cycle, capturing the layer-by-layer material deposition and subsequent thermal history. Results indicate that temperature distribution follows a gradient pattern along the printing path, with rapid heat dissipation at the periphery and heat accumulation in the central regions. Thermomechanical coupling analysis reveals significant stress concentration at the part bottom (310 MPa) and progressive strain increase from bottom (3.68 × 10^-5 m) to top (2.95 × 10^-4 m). Experimental validation demonstrates strong agreement with numerical predictions, showing maximum temperature deviations below 8% and strain distribution errors within 5%. This integrated approach provides an effective tool for predicting thermal-induced deformations and optimizing FDM process parameters to enhance part quality.