Novel hybrid gas and ultrasonic powder delivery system for laser cladding and additive manufacturing

增材制造（AM）有可能取代许多传统制造工艺。激光熔覆（LC）是一种AM技术，用于通过重复添加和熔融薄层材料到表面来创建大型工程部件。复杂的3D形状和近似形状的零件可以实现低组件变形和最小的热输入。添加剂的供应是控制该过程的关键因素之一。最有利和最广泛使用的方法是粉末注射。目前的LC技术是基于金属粉末的气体输送到激光产生的熔池。其主要缺点是昂贵粉末的浪费高，效率低至30 - 70%。这是将AM更广泛地应用于更广泛的应用的关键障碍。先进激光技术（ALT）的商业机会是开发一种新的混合气体和超声波粉末输送系统的LC。其明显的优势包括100%的粉末效率、更高的系统可靠性以及更清洁、更安全的工作环境。

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to replace many conventional manufacturing processes. Laser cladding (LC) is an AM technique for creating large engineering parts by repeatedly adding and fusing thin layers of materials to a surface. Complex 3D shapes and near shape parts can be achieved with low component distortion and minimum heat input. InLC, the supply of the additive material in one of the key factors controlling the process. The most advantageous and widely used method is powder injection. Current LC techniques are based on the gas delivery of metallic powders to the laser generated melt pool. A major drawback of this is that wastage of the expensive powder is high with efficiencies as low as30 to 70%. This is a key barrier to the wider adoption of AM to a broader range of applications. The business opportunity for Advanced Laser Technology (ALT) is to develop a novel hybrid gas and ultrasonic powder delivery system for LC. There are clear benefits including 100% powder efficiency, increased system reliability and a cleaner and safer workenvironment.