In laser fused wire deposition additive manufacturing systems, laser alignment tools can play an important role in reducing operating errors and improving system reliability and consistency.
The latest coaxial structure of the laser fused wire deposition additive manufacturing system feeds filamentous raw materials into a laser-generated molten pool to print 3D parts. It provides a way to generate large and complex metal parts with excellent material properties. A cheaper, cleaner and faster way.
Laser fused wire deposition additive manufacturing systems usually include a central wire feed nozzle placed perpendicular to the workpiece, and the laser beam is focused on the material at a set distance.Among them, the laser beam can be a beam split from a high-power laser or a single-power laser, or an independent beam from an independent laser source.
In this type of additive manufacturing system, the alignment of the laser beam and material at the focal point must be controlled.If the material and laser focus are not accurately positioned, the material will not be sufficiently heated and will not fully fuse with the surrounding material, which is likely to cause defects in the workpiece.
This alignment process is usually done by human eyes and requires extensive experience and patience on the part of the operator.With the promotion of laser fused wire deposition additive manufacturing technology, users are moving from "research-oriented technical centers and universities" to "production-oriented manufacturing workshops and manufacturing operators."As a result, the additive manufacturing system's ease of use and setup time have changed accordingly, and manual alignment is no longer feasible.
Calibration is required because the welding wire is stored on the spool. Each material has a different cast/arc when unpacked. The material is generally not perfectly straight, and although a straightener can minimize this bending, it still requires an experienced person to set it up. Each material has a different cast due to differences in its ductility, so a calibration procedure is essential if the printing system expects to print a wider variety of materials.
Since fused filament metal 3D printers have obvious advantages over metal powder printing, such as short material replacement time and no need for cleaning, systems based on straighteners can no longer meet user requirements.Based on this, Meltio developed a calibration tool that can accurately locate the laser spot and material, while guiding the operator to adjust each laser beam to the ideal position.The benefit of this stand-alone calibration tool is that legacy Meltio systems can be connected and run with a simple software update.
System structure
The Meltio system's print head consists of six adjustable optical components, with laser light coupled into the deposition head from six independent laser sources and a fixed wire nozzle.The printhead has a dual-line material feed system to precisely control the amount of material dispensed into the melt pool.The deposition head is equipped with a set of sensors that can measure and adjust the printing process based on the stress on the material and the conductivity of the material.
Adjustment of the laser is via a precision screw system.This is similar to the adjustment of an optical mount, where each optical component can be rotated precisely and locked into position once final alignment is achieved.Each laser is equipped with a visible-light aiming laser, which is only a few milliwatts in power and is used to guide the laser's alignment.
The alignment process begins with setting up the camera in the machine.The nozzle then automatically pushes out the filament until it contacts the camera's sensor surface.The camera then locates the position of the wire.Next, activate the aiming laser and draw a grid on the tablet screen to mark the ideal location for each laser beam.Once the adjustment is complete, a picture can be saved documenting the correct laser alignment.
The system allows users with no experience with laser systems to make precise adjustments within 10 minutes, greatly reducing the need for technical support.
Although the laser alignment tool is only a small part of the entire laser fuse deposition additive manufacturing system, it plays an important role in reducing operator errors and improving system reliability and consistency.
Xi'an Guosheng Laser Technology Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise specializing in R&D, manufacturing and sales of automatic laser cladding machine, high-speed laser cladding machine, laser quenching machine, laser welding machine and laser 3D printing equipment. Our products are cost-effective and sold domestically and abroad. If you're interested in our products, please contact us at bob@gshenglaser.com.