Additive thermomechanical simulation.
Finite element thermomechanical simulation that’s up to 10,000× faster than existing solutions. It's validated by US aerospace body NIAR and delivers thermal, thermomechanical, distortion and stress simulation to any CAM software.
Get better builds.
Simulation outputs cover thermal, thermomechanical, distortion and residual stress. There is no requirement to change your workflow, your software stack or your hardware. Aibuild FETS slots in around the way you already work.
Built for DED, WAAM, FGF, FDM, AFSD.
Aibuild FETS supports the full range of large format and metal additive manufacturing processes across DED, WAAM, AFSD, FGM and FFF, covering both metals and thermoplastics. It is CAM agnostic, works with your existing toolpaths, runs on standard hardware and requires no specialist setup or onboarding.
Validated by NIAR.
Read what the Program Director of NIAR thought about Aibuild FETS.
Developed by engineers, for engineers.
Aibuild FETS is CAM agnostic and requires no specialist computers. It integrates directly into your existing workflows across a wide range of manufacturing environments. Plus the easy calibration means teams are up and running quickly, without lengthy onboarding or specialist training.
FAQs
What is Aibuild's Finite Element Thermal Simulation (FETS)?
Aibuild FETS is a finite-element thermal solver built directly inside a CAM toolpathing engine for large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM). It predicts interpass temperatures across every layer of your build before printing starts, so engineers can fix thermal issues offline rather than discovering them mid-print.
Unlike external FEA packages, FETS is native to Aibuild's path planning UI. The same workflow used to generate toolpaths now drives simulation and optimisation.
Why does interpass temperature matter in large-format 3D printing?
Interpass temperature is the temperature of a deposited bead at the moment the next layer is laid on top. If it is too high, the bead sags; if it is too low, inter-layer cracks form and tensile strength drops. Both failures degrade mechanical properties and risk scrapping a multi-hour build.
In LFAM the problem is non-linear: conduction into the substrate, convection to air, and radiation off glowing metal all change every second. Without simulation, engineers can only react after defects appear rather than preventing them.
How is Aibuild FETS different from a standard FEA thermal solver?
Aibuild FETS is purpose-built for additive manufacturing, not adapted from general-purpose structural analysis software. Key differences include:
• CAM integration – simulation and toolpath generation share the same UI; results feed directly back into print parameters.
• GPU-accelerated, cloud-ready – reduces typical FE runtimes from ~100 hours (general-purpose) or ~30 hours (AM-specific FE) to approximately 4 hours on Aibuild Cloud.
• Bead-size-aware meshing – the FE mesh is derived directly from the toolpath, so resolution matches the actual deposition geometry.
• Automatic optimisation – the engine can auto-tune print speeds, layer waits, and process parameters against user-defined temperature rules.
Which materials and processes does Aibuild FETS support?
FETS is designed for any deposition-based LFAM process. Because it models full conduction, convection and radiation physics from first principles, it is not constrained to a specific material family. Users can pick from existing materials in Aibuild's library or create custom materials with their own thermal properties. The mesh resolution adjusts automatically to bead size, making it suitable for metals and polymer composites alike.
What is the difference between Aibuild's existing thermal analysis and FETS?
Aibuild's thermal analysis is optimised for speed. It produces a temperature envelope in minutes and is ideal for low-conductivity materials (e.g. carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers) or early-stage concept validation. Its simplifying assumptions limit accuracy on dense or high-conductivity geometries.
Aibuild FETS removes those assumptions. It takes longer to compute but scales accurately from sparse polymer parts to fully dense titanium or Inconel blocks. Both solvers remain available; Aibuild is investing in improving both tracks in parallel.
