SGER: Design and Manufacturing of Precision Products Directly from CAD by Combined Laser Aided Metal Addition and Subtraction

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

SGER ABSTRACT: Design and Manufacturing of Precision Products directly from CAD by combined Laser Aided Metal Addition and Subtraction In recent years, advanced laser research has created the opportunity to conceptualize a machine tool that can perform sequential laser aided material addition and subtraction on a single platform. The potential economic impact of this technology on the U.S. economy is enormous, as combined laser deposition and removal of metals would greatly reduce the time required to manufacture complex shaped tools and dies. The high potential for Design and Manufacturing of precision products directly from CAD by combined laser aided metal addition and subtraction under the framework of a single system is also associated with high risk. First, there is an urgent need for an integrated CAD/CAE/CAM for laser based fabrication where part/tool performance can be predicted by design engineers using CAE physics based modeling tools in tandem with CAD/CAM to design and fabricate complex precision parts to geometries and surface finish tolerances. CAD-integrated computer aided manufacturing (CAM) systems are not completely developed for either additive or subtractive laser based manufacturing, let alone for the combination of the two. This complexity of design challenge increases substantially when the process is conceptualized for 5 DOF deposition and removal. Second, the deposition process involves two significant challenges: metallurgical and precision size control. The development of precision in-situ measurement technique that can survive in a hot melt metal environment represents another challenge. Third, damage-free laser micromachining for materials removal at the submicron level from a freshly deposited substrate that exhibits considerable residual stress has yet to be explored. Fourth, there is a need to investigate innovative surface modification processes to attain desired surface characteristics. The proposed program will evaluate the critical technologies necessary to rapidly and directly build functional metal parts, tooling, and dies with high precision using a single setup. The broader impact of this SGER will focus on demonstrating the feasibility of a new innovative technology that has the potential to arrest the off shore migration of manufacturing industries. The novel process proposed during the program is expected to replace many steps and complex processes in traditional tooling and die manufacturing, offering the advantage of greatly reducing the time to produce complex tooling and dies with high precision, while simultaneously achieving superior tool life and productivity.