Fast production system with laser fusion of the starting material

摘要

A product building system uses a stage (13) movable in X-Y-Z directions for holding and moving a product. A fixed laser (1) is focused on a spot on the product while strips of materials (7) are fed tangent to a forming direction from two sources (6, 32) on a rotating platform (11). The laser continuously or periodically welds and fuses a strip to the product. Relative motion bends the strips to a desired product shape ,and the laser cuts a strip and welds a new strip to form alternating material layers. Side by side strips are butt-welded and product cores may be formed differently from outer surfaces. A mill (30) in the rotating platform brings a mill end tool (31) into contact with the layers to smooth lateral and upper surfaces. Ceramic strips are delivered heated and solidified, compensating for shrinkage as the part is being built.