Vinod Padmanabhan Kumar

Investigation on toolpath geometries for surface quality improvement in laser net shape manufacturing

Laser net shape manufacturing (LNSM) builds parts by successively cladding layers of powder on a substrate. The accuracy of deposition and the quality of the clad surface are highly dependent on the process parameters used in the deposition. A key process parameter is the NC toolpath used to drive the deposition nozzle. The NC toolpath is composed of the geometric path of the nozzle head and the parameters used to control the motion of the nozzle. This paper investigates the effect of deposition geometries and process parameters on the surface quality of the clad artifact. Prominent surface defects in the clad part are identified. Additionally, toolpath strategies are proposed to address these defects and improve the surface quality. The scope of the discussion is limited to hollow parts with no internal features.Laser net shape manufacturing (LNSM) builds parts by successively cladding layers of powder on a substrate. The accuracy of deposition and the quality of the clad surface are highly dependent on the process parameters used in the deposition. A key process parameter is the NC toolpath used to drive the deposition nozzle. The NC toolpath is composed of the geometric path of the nozzle head and the parameters used to control the motion of the nozzle. This paper investigates the effect of deposition geometries and process parameters on the surface quality of the clad artifact. Prominent surface defects in the clad part are identified. Additionally, toolpath strategies are proposed to address these defects and improve the surface quality. The scope of the discussion is limited to hollow parts with no internal features.