Abstract: During hot isostatic pressing(HIP) process, non-uniform initial relative density distribution of powder causes uneven shrinkage of the capsule and part. Information on the initial relative density of powder is crucial for improving the accuracy of part deformation prediction in numerical simulations. A new numerical simulation method for powder hot isostatic pressing is introduced, where the relative density information from discrete element filling results is added in-situ to the finite element model for deformation simulation. This method enables coupling of discrete element powder relative density in the finite element model and improves the accuracy of the contour prediction. Comparison of contour prediction accuracy between the discrete element-finite element coupling model and the single finite element model demonstrates that the coupling model has higher prediction accuracy, with local errors reduced by up to 0.71 mm. Simulation accuracy can be further improved by enhancing the geometric contour and material properties at welding positions. The discrete element-finite element coupling model provides a more accurate prediction method for powder hot isostatic pressing, and regular exploration on a cylindrical capsule is conducted, offering new insights for the simulation of complex parts.

Key words: hot isostatic pressing, discrete element method, finite element method, numerical simulation