Stereo vision based hybrid manufacturing process for precision metal parts

• A precise hybrid manufacturing process and system is proposed.
• Dynamic behavior of the melt pool and the formation of the clad are simulated.
• Based on simulation and analysis, distortion effect could be minimized through the machining process.
• The stereo vision and laser sensor scanning technology make the hybrid manufacturing process more automatic and accurate.

This paper presents the research and development of an automatic hybrid manufacturing process which based on stereo vision and laser scanning technology to produce fully dense metal parts with CNC level precision. High performance metals, such as titanium alloys, nickel superalloys, tool steel, stainless steels, etc, can benefit from this process. Coupling the additive and the subtractive processes into a single workstation, the hybrid process, can produce metal parts with accuracy. The surface quality of the final product is similar to the industrial milling capability. It will certainly impact the future rapid manufacturing industry. To achieve such a system, issues, including the modeling of the metal deposition process, the automated path planning and accurate surface scanning of the hybrid manufacturing process, are summarized.