Laser Additive Manufacturing
A Brief Introduction
Laser Additive Manufacturing (LAM) represents a groundbreaking approach to metal manufacturing processes. It leverages the power of a laser as a heat source to build three-dimensional metal objects from digital models, layer by layer. This advanced technique allows for intricate and highly customized components with complex geometry to be produced with unparalleled efficiency and material utilization. By fusing materials with a metallurgical bound, LAM enables the creation of parts with exceptional strength and structural integrity, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in modern manufacturing.
Projects
Laser Metal Deposition, or Laser Additive Manufacturing, is an advanced technique depositing layers using a laser beam. Our goal is to optimize a coaxial powder nozzle for a narrower laser beam, enhancing precision in the cladding process, especially for thin walls. We redesigned an existing nozzle to focus the gas-powder stream into a narrow jet, improving deposition within the melt pool. The optimized powder nozzle, achieved through simulations and experiments, aims to elevate the effectiveness ...
Innovative laser additive manufacturing technique was employed to successfully repair a titanium impeller, addressing challenges related to material integrity and complex geometry. The utilization of a positive-pressure chamber ensured proper gas shielding, resulting in multiple shiny silver layers. The added layers exhibited optimal hardness, matching that of the base metal since the laser additive manufacturing created a deposited layer with minimal Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) and a distinctive Widmanstätten microstructure in the fusion zone. This ...
The susceptibility of titanium to oxidization poses a formidable challenge during laser materials processing, especially at temperatures exceeding 450°C. To counteract oxygen absorption, an effective shielding mechanism is imperative. Numerous shielding chambers have been explored, each with its shortcomings. This project introduces an innovative solution—a positive-pressure chamber, adept at rectifying previous design flaws and ensuring uninterrupted shielding during laser materials processing of titanium alloys, illustrated in Figure 1. The discussion culminates in the examination of ...
Dissimilar joints especially aluminum (Al) to copper (Cu) have been drawn enormous attention in recent years. Challenges of joining aluminum to copper could be (1) high thermal conductivity and high reflectivity of these metals and (2) formation of Intermetallic Components (IMCs). To overcome these shortcomings, a method is presented for dissimilar joining aluminum to copper with stainless steel 316L interlayer. The method is included laser welding and laser material deposition processes for creating bimetal and ...
At the Metalaser Laboratory, we developed a process for manufacturing a rotary cutter for the pelletizing process in petrochemical companies. Rotary cutters are mainly subjected to wear and cyclic fatigues due to harsh and wear-full environments in which they are utilized. Using laser directed energy deposition (L-DED), a wear-resistance material deposited on the base metal. This process decreased the overall cost following lower material consumption and enhanced the part’s life cycle intensively. ...