System and method for assessing the ability to remove loose powder from an additively manufacturable article

Abstract

A method of assessing the ability to remove powder from an additively manufacturable article includes performing the following for each of a plurality of discrete starting points distributed within a sampling volume: calculating the starting point directional trajectory lengths of a plurality of trajectories of a particle starting from the starting point and moving in an initial direction respectively along a plurality of combinations of a polar angle φ and an azimuthal angle θ of a spherical coordinate system about the starting point, and calculating an average of the starting point directional trajectory lengths to give a starting point average trajectory length for the starting point. The method also includes calculating an average of the starting point average trajectory lengths respectively of the plurality of starting points to give a global average trajectory length for the article.