Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) or laser cladding is a technology capable of coating, repairing and manufacturing components by injecting molten metal powder on a substrate. Some of the advantages of this technology are: wide range of materials available in powder, reduced thermal distortion, coatings and repaired parts of high quality. However, the biggest advantage can be its relative ease of implementation in a multiprocess machine tool and subsequent automatization. The supply of hybrid machines in the world market that implements the LMD process is increasing (IBARMIA, DMG MORI, MAZAK, OKUMA, etc...), making the production more flexible in a single machine and introducing this process in more applications and industrial sectors. However, hybridization also presents problems that are difficult to solve. Some of the most noteworthy are those associated with the use of powdered metallic material both from the point of view of the safety and hygiene of the operators and also of the waste management and integrity of the machine itself, being its most serious effects at lower efficiency of the process. In this article, the study of the efficiency of different LMD nozzles is addressed for the coating of a hardened steel using for it the hybrid multiprocess machine IBARMIA ZVH45 /1600 Add + process, with the aim of finding the most efficient and, therefore (the one that generates less waste) and which, in turn, offers good productivity. Keywords: Laser cladding, hybrid manufacturing, LMD, coatings, hardened steel, wear resistance, coaxial nozzle.

In the energy and aeronautics industry, some components need to be very light but with high strength. For instance, turbine blades and structural components under rotational centrifugal forces, or internal supports, ask for low weight, and in general, all pieces in energy turbine devices will benefit from weight reductions. In space applications, a high ratio strength/weight is even more important. Light components imply new optimal design concepts, but to be able to be manufactured is the real key enable technology. Additive manufacturing can be an alternative, applying radical new approaches regarding part design and components’ internal structure. Here, a new approach is proposed using the replica of a small structure (cell) in two or three orders of magnitude. Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) is one of the most well-known additive manufacturing methods of functional parts (and prototypes as well), for instance, starting from metal powders of heat-resistant alloys. The working conditions for such components demand high mechanical properties at high temperatures, Ni-Co superalloys are a choice. The work here presented proposes the use of “replicative” structures in different sizes and orders of magnitude, to manufacture parts with the minimum weight but achieving the required mechanical properties. Printing process parameters and mechanical performance are analyzed, along with several examples.

Multi-material structure fabrication has the potential to address some critical challenges in today’s industrial paradigm. While conventional manufacturing processes cannot deliver multi-material structures in a single operation, additive manufacturing (AM) has come up as an appealing alternative. In particular, laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED) is preferred for multi-material AM. The most relevant applications envisioned for multi-material LDED are alloy design, metal matrix composites (MMC), and functionally graded materials (FGM). Nonetheless, there are still some issues that need to be faced before multi-material L-DED is ready for industrial use. Driven by this need, in this literature review, the suitability of L-DED for multi-material component fabrication is first demonstrated. Then, the main defects associated with multi-material LDED and current opportunities and challenges in the field are reported. In view of the industrial relevance of high-performance coatings as tools to mitigate wear, emphasis is placed on the development of MMCs and FGMs. The identified challenges include—but are not limited to—tightly controlling the composition of the multi-material powder mixture injected into the melt pool; understanding the influence of the thermal history of the process on microstructural aspects, including the interactions between constituents; and studying the in-service behaviours of MMCs and FGMs with regard to their durability and failure modes.

Laser cutting process is highly influenced by material composition and surface state before cutting. Variability in these elements involve changes in cutting parameter values (productivity) and cut quality (part acceptance or rejection). The vast majority of studies on this matter have been conducted employing CO2 lasers, therefore, the aim of this analysis is to complete existing literature and update it with actual industrial trends which move towards the use of fibre lasers. For this purpose, behaviour of three steel types with thicknesses of 6mm, 10mm and 15mm has been analysed, using the sheets just as they left the mill, with a superficial machining and superficial rust. Quality of obtained parts has been measured visually and through a confocal microscope, comparing roughness results with the standard UNE-EN ISO 9013 for thermal cuts. Results have revealed three different existing quality zones (upper, centre, bottom) for thick materials. Differences in quality and cutting parameter values between pickled steel and Hardox have been noticed, but not between pickled steel and Ruukki. Moreover, significant variations in cutting process have been observed when previous superficial rust is present, while machined surface has no effect on it. Keywords: laser cutting, fiber laser, steel, composition, surface state, surface finish, cutting parameters, edge quality

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an on growing technology in the last decade. Aeronautical industry, among others, is getting involved in this new trend for manufacturing and repairing processes. More concrete inside AM techniques, Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) is a versatile process with the capability of any repairing task, though the use of this technology is considered a multidisciplinary process that requires knowledge of several aspects: 3D digitalization, CAD/CAM programming, and the laser cladding parameters and control. Considering these many challenges, this work states a global vision through all process stages in order to implement LMD repairing technology in several industries. Additionally, trials were performed related to different process stages with significant results serving as initial reference for turbomachinery rotary components repairs. Finally, advantages and drawbacks of LMD process, as well as industrial pioneering companies at this sector. Keywords: Turbomachinery reparation, LMD (Laser Material Deposition), Digitalization, 3D, CAD/CAM, laser cladding, Inconel 718, Hastelloy X, hybrid machines.