additive.tools
All tools

Volumetric Energy Density

LPBF

Calculate the volumetric energy density (VED) delivered to a powder bed during laser powder bed fusion, and check whether your parameter set falls inside the typical process window for common alloys.

Sign up to use this calculator

additive.tools is a membership platform for AM engineers. Sign up free to unlock 11 calculators plus the full materials & process knowledge base. Pro tier unlocks all 44 tools.

  • 11 free calculators (44 total on Pro)
  • 46-material property knowledge base
  • Save your calculations to your profile
  • No credit card · no marketing emails
Create your accountI have an account

Formula

VED is the laser power divided by the volumetric scan rate. It is a first-order proxy — useful for centering a parameter set, not a substitute for a melt-pool model.

VED = P / ( v · h · t )
P
Laser power[W]
v
Scan speed[mm/s]
h
Hatch spacing[mm]
t
Layer thickness[mm]

Result is in J/mm³ when inputs are in the units above (W = J/s).

Interpretation

Below window

Insufficient melt-pool overlap → lack-of-fusion porosity, weak inter-layer bonding.

In window

Stable conduction-mode melt pool, near-full density (>99.5%) typically achievable.

Above window

Keyhole-mode melting → vapor depression, entrapped pore formation, possible spatter.

VED is necessary but not sufficient: two builds at the same VED can differ in density and microstructure because individual parameters govern melt-pool geometry, cooling rate, and Marangoni flow. Use VED for parameter centering and DOE planning — verify with cross-sections.

Sources