ALAS

Adaptive laser cladding system with variable spot sizes

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The ALAS project aims to shorten the gap between research and economy with latest research activities in the fields of optics and laser processing, by providing an innovative, adaptive laser cladding system with variable spot size to end users. Thus, Europe’s SMEs will be empowered to strengthen their global market position as the productivity will increase due to shortened setup times, flexibility gain and controlled quality.

The main features of the ALAS system are:

- Simple interfacing with the operator

Adapted to complex geometries, thanks to track width variation Real-Time laser power control to avoid heat accumulation in the part to be processed Compact design that minimize the safety laser requirements of the traditional laser cells Provision to interface with the rest of elements of the laser cell

The working plan has been designed to attain the goal of the present project. To develop an adaptive tool for laser cladding, this project has been divided in 8 WP including the RTD task as well a dissemination and management WPs. The work will comprise:

- The design of an adaptive optical path : to be able to vary the track width

- The development of a laser cladding monitoring and control system: it will be based on a vision system that will check the real melt pool dimension and act on laser power

- The development of the control interface of the ALAS system: which will be user friendly and easy to use.

The coordinator will have the responsibility to carry on in good way this project.

Regarding the impact of ALAS, it will yield:

Higher processing flexibility and productivity An increase of the market share for the end users Improved repairing sector competitiveness. Improved the working conditions of operators. New opportunities for high-technology products, for which European industry has competitive advantages, like optical design, system solutions for laser cladding or other laser processes'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU-funded project developed an automated laser cladding system with variable spot sizes that is particularly suitable for advanced repair and coating applications.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

An often unsung hero, laser cladding has been saving damaged parts from the salvage yard and fortifying new components. A laser beam melts the material on the workpiece surface and the powder nozzle moves over the workpiece surface to deposit single tracks or complete layers. Lack of control over this process can raise temperatures leading to damage of the laser cladded piece.

Currently, processing a cladding track with complex geometry requires programming of several paths. The http://www.alasproject.eu/ (ALAS) (Adaptive laser cladding system with variable spot sizes) project developed a new fully automated user-friendly adaptive solution that adjusts the track width.

The ALAS prototype includes a modular cladding head with a zoom module that can be adapted to different parts such as fibre connectors, collimators and beam splitters. Thanks to track width variation, the head can adapt to complex geometries, eliminating human intervention.

A real-time monitoring system based on a coaxial machine-vision system controls heat accumulation in the part to be processed. A closed-loop control system modifies the laser beam power according to the melt pool width that is measured using a camera based on CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) image sensors.

Another important element of the ALAS concept is a high-level control system (HLCS) that enables setting important parameters in the ALAS optical system and controller. These are the track width at every position of the tool path, the laser process speed, the optical system positioning and the required laser power at different positions. The HLCS interpolates laser beam widths at any point of a tool path and sends the time-based table to the field-programmable gate array controller.

ALAS should lead to significant advances in several areas of the materials processing field, especially in repairing complex geometries and re-manufacturing or fabricating complex 3D structures. Repairing metal components for power generation, industrial equipment, transport, petrochemical and aerospace industries are some of the potential applications benefiting from the newly developed laser cladding system. A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1jLhtK-JnA&feature=youtu.be (project video) is available online.