Finite Element Simulation-Driven Geometric Compensation for an LPBF-Fabricated Winged Annular Funnel Structure

Geometric distortion remains a major obstacle to achieving high dimensional accuracy in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), especially for complex thin-walled components with heterogeneous structural constraint. In this study, a finite element simulation-driven geometric compensation strategy was applied and validated for an LPBF-fabricated winged annular funnel structure (WAFS). A transient thermo-mechanically coupled finite element model was established to predict the distortion behavior during fabrication and validated by 3D scanning measurements, showing good agreement in both global deformation trend and local distribution characteristics. The simulation results indicated that the distortion of the WAFS was dominated by the combined constraint effect of the wing-like features and the baseplate, resulting in a non-uniform and symmetric deformation pattern. Based on the validated displacement field, an inverse-mapping method was used to construct a compensated geometry for re-fabrication. The compensated WAFS exhibited a substantially reduced deformation level, and the overall geometric distortion was reduced by more than 85% after a single compensation iteration. The present results demonstrate that finite element simulation-driven geometric compensation provides an efficient and practical route for improving the dimensional accuracy of the investigated WAFS, while reducing dependence on repeated trial-and-error optimization.