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Single Source Dual Application Laser in Laminated Object Manufacturing


Affiliations
1 Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Sugunapuram, Kuniamuthur Post, Coimbatore-641 008, India
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Sugunapuram, Kuniamuthur Post, Coimbatore-641 008,, India
     

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Rapid prototyping techniques are time compression tools finding very wide applications in visualization, functionality and testing of part prototypes. The time and the cost spent for building actual prototypes demands for high tooling cost and longer product development time. The past two decades have witnessed a substantial growth of newer techniques, which would reduce the above-mentioned factors.

In this paper an attempt has been made to enhance the process capabilities of one of the RP techniques, the Laminated Object Manufacturing [LOM] by replacing the standard constant power, profile cutting laser with that of a more powerful profile cutting/welding laser with varying power output. The dual advantage of using a variable power laser is that it can be used for both profile cutting and bonding of layers, which in turn provides the option of producing both metal and non-metal prototypes. The use of a variable power output laser would provide strong and reliable bonding between layers as compared to the weak bonding provided by the use of heat sensitive adhesive roller in conventional LOM machines. Only a very few metal RP techniques are available for Indian manufacturers which are very costly. A detailed description of the dual application laser technique and its working are dealt in this paper.


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  • Single Source Dual Application Laser in Laminated Object Manufacturing

Abstract Views: 205  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Karayil Srikanth Rajan
Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Sugunapuram, Kuniamuthur Post, Coimbatore-641 008, India
S. John Alexis
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Sugunapuram, Kuniamuthur Post, Coimbatore-641 008,, India
G. Venkatesh
Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Sugunapuram, Kuniamuthur Post, Coimbatore-641 008, India

Abstract


Rapid prototyping techniques are time compression tools finding very wide applications in visualization, functionality and testing of part prototypes. The time and the cost spent for building actual prototypes demands for high tooling cost and longer product development time. The past two decades have witnessed a substantial growth of newer techniques, which would reduce the above-mentioned factors.

In this paper an attempt has been made to enhance the process capabilities of one of the RP techniques, the Laminated Object Manufacturing [LOM] by replacing the standard constant power, profile cutting laser with that of a more powerful profile cutting/welding laser with varying power output. The dual advantage of using a variable power laser is that it can be used for both profile cutting and bonding of layers, which in turn provides the option of producing both metal and non-metal prototypes. The use of a variable power output laser would provide strong and reliable bonding between layers as compared to the weak bonding provided by the use of heat sensitive adhesive roller in conventional LOM machines. Only a very few metal RP techniques are available for Indian manufacturers which are very costly. A detailed description of the dual application laser technique and its working are dealt in this paper.