Abstract: A scaling method for simulating any manufacturing process employing a moving heat source is disclosed. The method is intended to melt or sinter a material, wherein the heat source is driven according to a defined path. The method requires a meso-scale model, which evaluates the physical quantities representative of the process-induced thermal history and residual stress and strain fields for each set of process parameters employed for the given material. The meso-scale results, obtained by modeling one or multiple scan lines, are transferred to the elements of the macro-scale finite element mesh based on the defined path. The scaling is performed pointwise and followed by an averaging operation on the values of the physical quantities computed inside each element of the macro-scale finite element mesh. Finally, a macro-scale simulation is executed for evaluating the residual stresses and distortions arising throughout the entire manufacturing process.