Hybrid manufacturing of complex components: Full methodology including laser metal deposition (LMD) module development, cladding geometry estimation and case study validation

Abstract

To optimize and satisfy current industrial requirements, during the last decade new alternatives to conventional manufacturing processes are implemented into conventional machines, leading to multitasking machines. Especially hybrid machines combining additive and subtractive technologies (AM/SM), have become a potential solution for manufacturing and repairing operations in terms of material waste reduction, time consumption and flexibility. Nevertheless, this technology has implications for the machine and the auxiliary elements as well as other challenges: digitalization, process parameterization or CAD/CAM solutions. Thereby, this work proposes a new methodology for hybrid manufacturing systems, a programmed interface to interact between additive and subtractive technologies within the same environment. The developed application-programming interface (API) offers a CAM module oriented to AM with appropriate laser metal deposition (LMD) parameters, with three different options of strategy programming: Planar LMD, 3-axis LMD and 5-axis LMD. Additionally, the value of this work stems from the implementation of an algorithm to estimate the cladding geometry, so, the full resulting geometry can be considered as the new blank for SM. A height measuring laser sensor was implemented in the LMD machine to obtain the real height of the generated clad, critical for the next machining step. Finally, to validate the methodology, a blisk made of Hastelloy®X was built-up on Inconel®718 with LMD and milled to the final size. Dimensional deviation was measured after each process.