Product Code: ICAL08_103

Process Control on Laser Cladding for Direct Manufacturing: Control of the Width and Height of the Deposited Material by Coaxial Vision
Authors:
Mehdi Guiraud, Gerailp; Arcueil France
Pascal Aubry, CEA / GERAILP; Arcueil France
Remy Fabbro, Gerailp/Lalp; Arcueil France
Presented at ICALEO 2008

In order to generate 3D complex structures by laser cladding, it is necessary to control the width and the height of the deposited material. First, we present a general overview of the problem. The phenomenological model linking the main the process parameters with the output parameters (width and height of the deposited material) is presented. As this model evidences, the process control can be achieved by decoupling the control of the two output parameters: the z-height is mainly controlled by the apparent feeding rate, and the width of the melt pool by the laser power. The apparent feeding rate is controlled by a gas flow actuator . The measures of the output parameters are made by a dedicated coaxial sensor that we present in the next section. Then, we describe the design and implementation of the control system itself on a real time linux kernel. Finally, we present some results and performances of the process control system on simple geometries.