FastWireAM: Fast-track development of a novel compact wire-feed system for Laser Additive Manufacturing

COVID-19对许多市场造成了重大干扰，并产生了对灵活和适应性强的制造方法的需求，这些方法可以提供显著的经济优势来科普干扰。增材制造（AM）是一个明显的候选者，由于其高工艺效率，低材料浪费以及制造具有复杂几何形状和/或改善材料性能的组件或涂层的能力，已经取得了一些工业成功，特别是在航空航天，医疗和发电领域。HMT开发的用于线激光金属沉积（w-LMD）的紧凑型送丝头，AM的一种形式，有可能取代传统的减材制造方法以及当前最先进的AM工艺。该头能够沉积0.5 - 4+kg/hr之间的材料，是根据标准w-LMD侧进技术开发的。然而，其独特的设计允许更稳定的工艺，具有有效的全方位沉积。由于其紧凑的尺寸，该头的适应性也很强，其激光吹制粉末变体在设计上处于全球领先地位，易于通过自动换刀系统集成到机床中。该项目将开发和部署一种创新的LMD送丝方法，以证明在许多不同工业领域的商业可行性。这将通过将该技术应用于许多现实世界的工业组件来实现，以展示英国境内的附加值和市场潜力。_FastWireAM_的主要产出是：1\.**展示w-LMD头提供的附加值 **，包括减少生产时间和材料浪费，在许多不同的行业和应用中加速 ** 市场占有率 **，为合作伙伴提供额外的收入来源。2\.**通过性能映射和参数优化改进硬件和工艺 **，确保工业所需的稳健可靠的制造方法和质量。该项目的成功完成将证明并确立该工艺的商业可行性。我们预计该技术将作为制造解决方案提供给现有和新的客户和收入来源，并改造到新的和现有的机床上。

COVID-19 has caused significant disruption to many markets and has created a need for flexible and adaptable manufacturing methods that can offer significant economic advantages to cope with the disruption. Additive manufacturing (AM) is an obvious candidate that has already seen some industrial success especially in the aerospace, medical and power generation sectors due to its high process efficiency, low material wastage, and the ability to manufacture components or coatings with complex geometries and/or improved material properties.The compact wire-feed head developed by HMT for wire laser metal deposition (w-LMD), a form of AM, has the potential to supersede both traditional subtractive manufacturing methods as well as current state-of-the-art AM processes. The head is capable of depositing material between 0.5 -- 4+kg/hr and was developed from standard w-LMD side-feed technology. However, its unique design allows for a more stable process with effective-omnidirectional deposition. The head is also very adaptable due to its compact size, where its laser - blown powder variant is globally leading in its design for ease of integration into machine tools though automated tool change system.This project will develop and deploy an innovate approach for wire delivery in LMD to prove the commercial viability in a number of different industrial sectors. This will be achieved by applying the technology to a number of real-world industrial components to demonstrate added-value and market potential within the UK.The key outputs from _FastWireAM_ are:1\.**Demonstration of added-value** provided by the w-LMD head, including reduced production time and material waste, accelerating **market uptake** in a number of diverse sectors and applications to provide additional revenue streams for the partners.2\.**Improved hardware and process** through performance mapping and parameter optimisation, ensuring a robust and reliable manufacturing method and quality required by industry.The successful completion of this project will demonstrate and establish the commercial viability of this process. We expect that the technology will be offered as a manufacturing solution to both current and new customers and revenue streams, and retrofitted onto new and existing machine tools.