Robotic Wire + Arc Additive Manufacuture

金属 3D 打印或增材制造 (AM) 有可能彻底改变航空航天和能源等某些工业领域。如果它可以用于以低成本生产高质量的大型零件，以满足关键工程应用的需要，这一点尤其适用。实验室规模已证明，基于传统焊接方法（使用电弧和送丝以分层方式沉积焊道）的 3D 打印具有实现这一点的潜力。然而，目前还没有商业系统可以使其在工业规模上得到利用。 RoboWAAM 项目的目标是开发基于大规模柔性机器人和焊接技术的 3D 金属打印系统。开发的系统将具有适应性，以便在零件打印过程中可以纳入其他过程，例如检查。这将确保打印的零件具有所需的高质量。该系统将适合后续商业化。工业用户采用该系统将为包括航空航天、建筑和能源在内的一系列工业领域带来显着的成本节约。该项目是库卡系统公司、空中客车防务与航天公司、FMC Technologies、Glenalmond Group、CU和斯特拉斯克莱德大学（包括先进成形研究中心，该中心是高价值制造弹射器之一）之间的合作项目。

3D printing or additive manufacture (AM) of metals has the potential to revolutionise some areas of industry such as aerospace and energy. This particularly applies if it can be used for the production of large parts at low cost and with high quality for critical engineering applications. It has been demonstrated on a laboratory scale that 3D printing based on conventional welding methods using an electric arc and wire feed to deposit weld beads in a layer wise fashion has the potential for this. However there are currently no commercial systems available to enable this to be exploited on an industrial scale. The objective of the RoboWAAM project is to develop a 3D metal printing system based on large scale flexible robotics and welding technology. The developed system will be adaptable so that other process such as inspection can be incorporated during the printing of the part. This will ensure that the printed parts have the required high quality. The system will be suitable for subsequent commercialisation. Adoption of the system by industrial users will lead to significant cost savings in a range of industrial sectors including aerospace, construction and energy.The project is a collaboration between Kuka Systems, Airbus Defence and Space, FMC Technologies, Glenalmond Group, CU and the University of Strathclyde (including the Advanced Forming Research Centre, which is one of the High Value Manufacturing Catapults).