A laser cladding device for a metal material

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of metal material processing technology, and more particularly to a laser cladding device for metal materials. The device includes a base, a support frame mounted on top of the base, machine tools mounted on both sides of the support frame, an industrial robot mounted on top of the support base, and a powder-feeding cladding head and a laser mounted on the output end of the industrial robot. A high-precision positioning compensation system is installed between the industrial robot and the machine tools. The base also includes a dust removal and heat dissipation integrated device. A clamping mechanism is mounted on the side of the support plate near the movable plate. An electro-permanent magnet chuck is movably connected to the guide plate, and a high-speed infrared camera is mounted on the electro-permanent magnet chuck. This invention enables multi-directional synchronous clamping and centering of workpieces, allowing the clamping blocks to adapt to workpieces of different diameters or shapes, improving clamping stability and processing flexibility, ensuring the uniformity and bonding strength of the cladding layer, enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio of structured light images and the accuracy of subsequent defect identification, and facilitating long-term maintenance of cladding accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal material processing technology, specifically to a laser cladding device for metal materials. Background Technology

[0002] Laser cladding is an advanced surface modification and additive manufacturing technology. It uses a high-energy laser beam to simultaneously melt and rapidly solidify a thin layer of added alloy powder and a substrate material, forming a cladding layer with extremely low dilution and a metallurgical bond to the substrate. This significantly improves the wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance of metal workpieces. This technology has broad application prospects in the repair and surface strengthening of key components in fields such as aero-engine blades, nuclear power equipment, molds, petrochemicals, and heavy machinery.

[0003] However, current laser cladding equipment still faces several key technological bottlenecks in practical engineering applications, which restrict its processing accuracy, consistency, and industrialization capabilities. These bottlenecks are mainly reflected in the following aspects: 1. Insufficient adaptability of workpiece clamping and motion drive mechanisms. In existing laser cladding equipment, the workpiece clamping mechanism is usually simple in structure, often using a general-purpose three-jaw chuck or a simple clamping device. This makes it difficult to achieve stable and precise clamping and rotational drive for complex-shaped workpieces (such as shafts, irregularly shaped parts, and non-rotating structures). Especially for slender shafts, eccentric shafts, or workpieces with irregular contours, traditional clamping methods are prone to problems such as clamping deformation, large positioning errors, and significant rotational runout, which directly affect the uniformity of the cladding layer thickness and the forming quality.

[0004] 2. The cladding process lacks online monitoring and closed-loop control methods. Laser cladding is extremely sensitive to process parameters such as temperature field, molten pool morphology, and cooling rate. Traditional devices often rely on open-loop control or offline process parameter settings, lacking effective online monitoring and feedback adjustment methods. This results in poor consistency of cladding layer quality and a susceptibility to typical defects such as cracks, porosity, oxidation, and uncontrolled dilution. Especially during long-duration, multi-pass cladding processes, the heat accumulation effect is significant. If laser power, powder feed rate, or scanning speed cannot be adjusted in real time, the microstructure and properties of the cladding layer will be difficult to guarantee.

[0005] 3. Insufficient precision in the coordinated control of the laser cladding head and the industrial robot. As laser cladding advances towards complex curved surfaces, spatial trajectories, and on-site repair, the integration and collaborative control precision between the laser cladding head and industrial robots become crucial. In existing systems, the lack of high real-time synchronous control between the cladding head's attitude adjustment and the robot's motion trajectory often leads to problems such as defocusing fluctuations, powder feeding focus shifts, and misalignment of the cladding layer overlap. Furthermore, insufficient communication delays, calibration errors, and external axis linkage control capabilities between the cladding head and the robot further limit the engineering feasibility of cladding along complex paths.

[0006] No solutions have yet been proposed for the relevant technical issues. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems in related technologies, this invention proposes a laser cladding device for metal materials to overcome the aforementioned technical issues in existing related technologies. The purpose of this invention is to achieve multi-directional synchronous clamping and centering of workpieces, enabling the clamping blocks to adapt to workpieces of different diameters or shapes, meeting the requirements of annular or circumferential cladding, significantly improving clamping stability and processing flexibility, effectively ensuring the uniformity and bonding strength of the cladding layer, avoiding high-temperature radiation interference, significantly improving the signal-to-noise ratio of structured light images and the accuracy of subsequent defect identification, and facilitating the long-term maintenance of cladding accuracy.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a laser cladding device for metal materials, comprising a base, a support frame mounted on the top of the base, machine tools arranged on both sides of the inner side of the support frame, a support seat between the two machine tools, an industrial robot mounted on the top of the support seat, a powder feeding cladding head and a laser mounted on the output end of the industrial robot, a high-precision positioning compensation system between the industrial robot and the machine tools, and an integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device mounted on the base; The machine tool includes a mounting base, a support plate, and a movable plate. The mounting base is fixedly mounted on a base. The support plate and the movable plate are both located on top of the mounting base and are movably connected to it. A clamping mechanism is provided on the side of the support plate near the movable plate, and a positioning post is provided on the side of the movable plate near the support plate. The clamping mechanism includes a drive motor, a rotating disk, clamping blocks, a screw, and a movable block. The drive motor is fixedly mounted on the support plate. The rotating disk is located on the support plate and is movably connected to it. The output end of the drive motor is fixedly connected to the rotating disk. Several clamping blocks are provided, all located on the side of the rotating disk away from the drive motor. Several cavities are opened inside the rotating disk. One end of the screw is movably connected to the inner wall of a cavity. The other end of the screw passes through the rotating disk and extends to the outside of the rotating disk, and a rotating knob is fixedly connected to its end. An opening is opened on one side of each cavity. The movable block is sleeved on the screw and threadedly connected to it. One end of the movable block passes through the opening and extends to the outside of the rotating disk, and its end is fixedly connected to the clamping block. The high-precision positioning compensation system includes a laser tracking target, a laser tracking receiver, and a positioning compensation controller. The laser tracking target is installed at the end of an industrial robot. Several laser tracking receivers are provided and are all installed on a support frame. The positioning compensation controller is electrically connected to the laser tracking receivers, and the laser tracking target and the laser tracking receivers are electrically connected.

[0009] Preferably, the base is further provided with a powder feeder, which is connected to the powder feeding and cladding head through a wear-resistant powder feeding hose.

[0010] Preferably, the support frame is further equipped with several electric telescopic rods, the output end of each electric telescopic rod is fixedly connected to a guide plate, an electro-permanent magnet chuck is movably connected to the guide plate, and a high-speed infrared camera is mounted on the electro-permanent magnet chuck.

[0011] Preferably, the positioning pin is movably connected to the movable plate via a ball bearing.

[0012] Preferably, the support plate has an annular groove on the side near the rotating disk, and the rotating disk is equipped with a plurality of positioning blocks that match the annular groove.

[0013] Preferably, the support frame is further provided with reinforcing ribs, and the base and support frame are made of metal materials.

[0014] Preferably, the laser is one of a fiber laser or a semiconductor laser, and the laser is connected to the laser input port of the powder feeding cladding head via a laser transmission optical fiber.

[0015] Preferably, the industrial robot is also equipped with a molten pool spectral sensor and a molten pool vision sensor, and a structured light projector is also provided on one side of the powder feeding and cladding head.

[0016] Preferably, the high-speed infrared camera is electrically connected to a dual-color infrared thermometer.

[0017] Preferably, the integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device includes a protective cover, a negative pressure dust collector, and a cooling gas injection assembly. The protective cover is mounted on a base, and the support frame, machine tool, support base, and industrial robot are all mounted inside the protective cover. The protective cover is connected to the negative pressure dust collector through an exhaust pipe, and the cooling gas injection assembly includes nozzles mounted on both sides of the powder feeding and cladding head.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) This invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. By setting a clamping mechanism, it can realize multi-directional synchronous clamping and centering of workpieces. Rotating the knob drives the screw to move the movable block, so that the clamping block can adapt to workpieces of different diameters or shapes. At the same time, the drive motor can drive the workpiece to rotate, which can meet the requirements of ring or circumferential cladding and significantly improve the clamping stability and processing flexibility. The positioning column is connected to the movable plate through ball bearings, which reduces friction loss and ensures the stability of the workpiece during rotation. The rotating disk and the support plate are connected to the positioning block through an annular groove to avoid swaying or movement during rotation. The support frame is equipped with reinforcing ribs and the base and frame are made of metal materials such as aluminum alloy, which has high overall rigidity and good shock resistance, which is conducive to maintaining cladding accuracy for a long time. (2) The present invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. It uses an industrial robot to drive the powder feeding cladding head and laser to move in multiple degrees of freedom. Combined with the rotation function of the machine tool, it can achieve high-precision cladding of complex curved surfaces or irregular parts. At the same time, the molten pool spectral sensor and the molten pool vision sensor collect the characteristic spectral intensity and shape parameters of the molten pool area in real time, providing data support for closed-loop control of the cladding process and effectively ensuring the uniformity and bonding strength of the cladding layer. (3) The present invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. By setting a high-speed infrared camera and a dual-color infrared thermometer electrically connected, when the surface temperature of the cladding strip drops to 0.6 to 0.8 times the solidus temperature of the material, the high-speed infrared camera is automatically triggered to collect the image of the cladding strip modulated by structured light. The temperature range is set reasonably, which can avoid high temperature radiation interference and significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the structured light image and the accuracy of subsequent defect identification. (4) The present invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. By installing a structured light projector behind the powder feeding cladding head, multiple parallel structured lights are projected onto the surface of the cladding strip. Combined with images collected by a high-speed infrared camera, the morphology, flatness and potential defects of the cladding layer can be evaluated in a non-contact online manner, providing a visual basis for the optimization of the cladding process and quality judgment. (5) This invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. By setting up a high-precision positioning compensation system, and through real-time closed-loop feedback between the laser tracking target and the laser tracking receiver, it can dynamically compensate for the end position deviation of the industrial robot caused by long-term movement, load changes or temperature drift. It effectively avoids uneven cladding layer thickness, poor overlap or local non-fusion defects caused by trajectory deviation, greatly improves the dimensional accuracy and geometric consistency of complex curved surface metal additive manufacturing, and can ensure that the cladding head is always aligned with the processing surface with the optimal defocus amount and vertical angle under different workpiece postures and different processing points, improves the production cycle, and avoids batch scrap caused by human calibration error. (6) The present invention is a laser cladding device for metal materials. By setting up an integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device, it can extract and collect the micron-sized metal dust flying during the cladding process in real time, which significantly reduces the dust concentration in the working environment, avoids the explosion accident caused by dust accumulation, and protects the occupational health of operators. It provides directional and adjustable inert gas cooling on the side of the cladding area, effectively suppresses the formation of coarse grains in the overheated structure, reduces thermal stress and thermal deformation, and enhances the stability of the cladding process and the protective atmosphere effect. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in frontal cross-section; Figure 3 for Figure 2 An enlarged structural diagram of part A; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device of the present invention. Attached image description: 1. Base; 2. Support frame; 3. Machine tool; 301. Mounting seat; 302. Support plate; 303. Movable plate; 304. Positioning column; 305. Drive motor; 306. Rotary disk; 307. Clamping block; 308. Screw; 309. Movable block; 4. Support base; 5. Industrial robot; 6. Powder feeding and cladding head; 7. Powder feeder; 8. Electric telescopic rod; 9. Guide plate; 10. Electro-permanent magnet chuck; 11. High-speed infrared camera; 12. Laser; 13. Dust removal and heat dissipation integrated device; 14. Laser tracking target; 15. Laser tracking receiver; 16. Positioning compensation controller. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Example Please see Figure 1-4 As shown, this invention proposes a technical solution for a laser cladding device for metal materials: A laser cladding device for metal materials includes a base 1, a support frame 2 mounted on the top of the base 1, machine tools 3 arranged on both sides inside the support frame 2, a support seat 4 arranged between the two machine tools 3, and an industrial robot 5 mounted on the top of the support seat 4. The output end of the industrial robot 5 is equipped with a powder feeding cladding head 6 and a laser 12. Specifically, the support frame 2 provides support, the machine tools 3 can process the workpiece, the support seat 4 supports the industrial robot 5, and the industrial robot 5, using existing technology, can drive the powder feeding cladding head 6 and the laser 12 to move. A high-precision positioning compensation system is provided between the industrial robot 5 and the machine tools 3, and a dust removal and heat dissipation integrated device 13 is also provided on the base 1. Machine tool 3 includes a mounting base 301, a support plate 302, and a movable plate 303. The mounting base 301 is fixedly mounted on the base 1. The support plate 302 and the movable plate 303 are both located on top of the mounting base 301 and are movably connected to the mounting base 301. A clamping mechanism is provided on the side of the support plate 302 near the movable plate 303, and a positioning post 304 is provided on the side of the movable plate 303 near the support plate 302. The clamping mechanism includes a drive motor 305, a rotating disk 306, a clamping block 307, and a screw. 308 and movable block 309, drive motor 305 is fixedly mounted on support plate 302, rotating disk 306 is disposed on support plate 302 and movably connected to support plate 302, output end of drive motor 305 is fixedly connected to rotating disk 306, several clamping blocks 307 are provided, all disposed on the side of rotating disk 306 away from drive motor 305, rotating disk 306 has several cavities inside, one end of screw 308 is movably connected to the inner wall of the cavity, screw 308... At the other end, it passes through the rotating disk 306 and extends to the outside of the rotating disk 306, and a rotating knob is fixedly connected to the end. An opening is opened on one side of the cavity. The movable block 309 is sleeved on the screw 308 and threadedly connected to the screw 308. One end of the movable block 309 passes through the opening and extends to the outside of the rotating disk 306, and the end is fixedly connected to the clamping block 307. Specifically, the support plate 302 can support the clamping mechanism. Starting the drive motor 305 can drive the rotating disk 306 fixedly connected to it to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. When the rotating disk 306 rotates, it drives the clamping mechanism on it to rotate. By driving the rotating knob to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, the screw 308 fixedly connected to it rotates. When the screw 308 rotates, it drives the movable block 309 threadedly connected to it to move, thereby driving the clamping block 307 fixedly connected to the movable block 309 to clamp the workpiece. There are four clamping blocks 307, which are distributed in a ring at equal intervals to improve the stability of clamping the workpiece. The high-precision positioning compensation system includes a laser tracking target 14, a laser tracking receiver 15, and a positioning compensation controller 16. The laser tracking target is installed at the end of the industrial robot 5. Several laser tracking receivers 15 are provided and all are installed on the support frame 2. The positioning compensation controller 16 is electrically connected to the laser tracking receivers 15. The laser tracking target 14 and the laser tracking receivers 15 are electrically connected. Specifically, The laser tracking target 14 is a six-degree-of-freedom laser target, which integrates an inertial measurement unit for real-time acquisition of the spatial three-dimensional coordinates and attitude angles (pitch, yaw, and roll) of the end effector of the industrial robot 5. At least three laser tracking receivers 15 are installed in a non-collinear arrangement on the inner wall of the support frame 2 at different heights and angles, ensuring that at least three laser tracking receivers 15 can simultaneously receive the laser signals emitted by the laser tracking target 14 within the industrial robot 5's complete working space. The precise three-dimensional coordinates of the end effector of the industrial robot 5 are calculated using a polygonal measurement method. The laser tracking receivers 15 and the laser tracking target 14 are electrically connected via a bidirectional infrared laser communication link to achieve real-time exchange of ranging data and a synchronization clock signal. The positioning compensation controller 16 includes a data acquisition module, a deviation calculation module, and a communication compensation module. The module is used to receive ranging values ​​and attitude data uploaded by each laser tracking receiver 15. The deviation calculation module calculates the deviation vector between the theoretical pose and the actual pose of the current end effector based on the kinematic model of the industrial robot 5. The communication compensation module writes the deviation compensation value into the control cabinet of the industrial robot 5 in real time through the industrial Ethernet protocol, forming a closed-loop control with a sampling period of not less than 100Hz, so that the dynamic positioning error of the end effector of the industrial robot 5 is suppressed within ±0.05mm. The surface of the laser tracking target 14 is also provided with an anti-reflection coating to reduce the scattering interference of metal dust on the laser signal during the cladding process. An ambient temperature sensor is also installed on the support frame 2. The ambient temperature sensor is electrically connected to the positioning compensation controller 16 and is used to automatically trigger the calibration correction program when the temperature change exceeds the set threshold to compensate for the installation reference displacement of the laser tracking receiver 15 caused by thermal deformation.

[0023] Please see Figure 1-2 As shown, a powder feeder 7 is further provided on the base 1, and the powder feeder 7 is connected to the powder feeding and cladding head 6 through a wear-resistant powder feeding hose.

[0024] In this embodiment, the wear-resistant powder feeding hose is connected to the powder feeding port of the powder feeding cladding head 6, so that the powder feeder 7 can transport powder to the powder feeding cladding head 6.

[0025] Please see Figure 1-2 As shown, furthermore, several electric telescopic rods 8 are installed on the support frame 2. The output end of the electric telescopic rod 8 is fixedly connected to a guide plate 9. An electro-permanent magnet chuck 10 is movably connected to the guide plate 9. A high-speed infrared camera 11 is installed on the electro-permanent magnet chuck 10.

[0026] In this embodiment, the high-speed infrared camera 11 is used to acquire structured light images modulated by the surface of the cladding strip.

[0027] Furthermore, the positioning pin 304 is movably connected to the movable plate 303 via a ball bearing.

[0028] In this embodiment, the workpiece to be processed is inserted into the outer surface of the positioning column 304. When the workpiece rotates under the action of the drive motor 305, it drives the positioning column 304 to rotate. By setting ball bearings, the stability of the rotational connection between the positioning column 304 and the movable plate 303 is effectively improved.

[0029] Please see Figure 2-3 As shown, further, the support plate 302 has an annular groove on the side near the rotating disk 306, and the rotating disk 306 is equipped with several positioning blocks that match the annular groove.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the rotating disk 306 rotates, it drives the positioning block fixedly connected to it to move within the annular groove of the support plate 302, thereby improving the stability of the rotation of the rotating disk 306.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 As shown, furthermore, the support frame 2 is also provided with reinforcing ribs, and the base 1 and the support frame 2 are made of metal materials.

[0032] In this embodiment, the reinforcing ribs can improve the strength of the support frame 2, and both the base 1 and the support frame 2 are made of aluminum alloy, which extends the service life.

[0033] Furthermore, the laser 12 is either a fiber laser or a semiconductor laser, and the laser 12 is connected to the laser input port of the powder feeding cladding head 6 via a laser transmission fiber.

[0034] Please see Figure 1-2 As shown, the industrial robot 5 is further equipped with a molten pool spectral sensor and a molten pool vision sensor, and a structured light projector is also installed on one side of the powder feeding and cladding head 6.

[0035] In this embodiment, a molten pool spectral sensor is used to collect the characteristic spectral intensity of the molten pool region, and a molten pool visual sensor is used to collect the shape characteristic parameters of the molten pool. A structured light projector is installed behind the powder feeding cladding head 6 to project multiple parallel line structured lights onto the surface of the cladding strip.

[0036] Please see Figure 1-2 As shown, the high-speed infrared camera 11 is further electrically connected to a dual-color infrared thermometer.

[0037] In this embodiment, when the surface temperature of the cladding strip is detected to drop to 0.6 to 0.8 times the solidus temperature of the material, the dual-color infrared thermometer triggers the high-speed infrared camera 11 to acquire images.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, further, the integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device 13 includes a protective cover, a negative pressure dust collector, and a cooling gas injection assembly. The protective cover is set on the base 1, and the support frame 2, machine tool 3, support base 4, and industrial robot 5 are all set inside the protective cover. The protective cover is connected to the negative pressure dust collector through an exhaust pipe. The cooling gas injection assembly includes nozzles set on both sides of the powder feeding and cladding head 6.

[0039] In this embodiment, the protective cover is a double-layer stainless steel frame structure, with an inner layer lined with an anti-stick coating and an outer layer with a sound insulation and vibration damping layer. A sliding observation window is provided on the front of the protective cover, and a light-shielding glass that resists laser radiation is installed on the observation window. On both sides of the protective cover, there are exhaust ports that connect to the negative pressure dust collector and air inlets that connect to an external air source. At least two dust concentration sensors are also installed on the inner wall of the top of the protective cover to monitor the concentration of suspended metal dust in the cover in real time. When the concentration exceeds a preset safety threshold, the negative pressure dust collector is linked to increase the exhaust power. The negative pressure dust collector includes a cyclone separator, a pulse-jet cartridge filter, and a high-efficiency air filter connected in series. The air inlet of the cyclone separator is connected to the exhaust port of the protective cover through an exhaust pipe, which is used to initially separate large metal particles. The pulse-jet cartridge filter is used to capture micron-sized metal dust, and the high-efficiency air filter is used to process and discharge clean air. The negative pressure dust collector is also equipped with an explosion-proof pressure relief port and a flame arrestor to prevent reactive metal dust such as titanium and aluminum from igniting or exploding during the collection process. The cooling gas injection assembly also includes a precision gas mass flow controller, a cooling gas preheater, and a gas distribution manifold. The precision gas mass flow controller is installed on the pipeline between the nozzle and the external inert gas source and is used to independently adjust the gas flow of each nozzle, with a control range of 5~50 L / min. The cooling gas preheater is used to preheat the cooling gas in low-temperature environments or under specific process requirements to prevent the cold gas flow from impacting the high-temperature molten pool and causing cracks. The gas distribution manifold is fixedly installed on the bracket of the powder feeding cladding head 6, and its output end is connected to the nozzles located on both sides of the powder feeding cladding head 6 through flexible pressure-resistant hoses. The nozzle is a flat fan-shaped nozzle or a conical nozzle that can be adjusted in all directions. The angle between the nozzle outlet axis and the laser optical axis of the powder feeding cladding head 6 is adjustable between 30° and 60°. The spray directions of the two nozzles intersect at the front edge of the molten pool or the center point of the molten pool, forming a symmetrical or alternating pulsed cooling airflow. The nozzle is also equipped with an electromagnetic switch valve to realize intermittent spraying and automatically close during non-cladding periods to save gas consumption. The control unit of the cooling gas jet assembly is linked with the controller of the industrial robot 5 and the power output signal of the laser 12. When the output power of the laser 12 increases, the control unit synchronously increases the cooling gas flow rate, so that the cooling intensity during the cladding process matches the heat input, thereby maintaining the coordination between the solidification rate of the molten pool and the laser scanning speed, and obtaining a uniform cladding layer structure.

[0040] Working principle of the invention: One end of the metal workpiece to be processed is placed on the positioning post 304 of the movable plate 303, and the other end faces the clamping mechanism of the support plate 302. The four rotating knobs distributed in a ring are manually rotated to drive the screw 308 to rotate, so that the movable block 309 moves along the axial direction of the screw 308, thereby driving the clamping block 307 to move towards the center and clamp the workpiece evenly from four directions. The positioning post 304 is connected to the movable plate through ball bearings to ensure that the workpiece can still rotate flexibly after being clamped.

[0041] Start the drive motor 305 to drive the rotating disk 306 and the clamping mechanism fixed thereto to rotate, thereby driving the workpiece to rotate around the axis. The positioning block on the back of the rotating disk 306 slides in the annular groove of the support plate 302 to ensure smooth rotation.

[0042] According to the preset cladding trajectory program, the industrial robot 5 drives the powder feeding cladding head 6 and the laser 12 to move to the starting processing position. The rotational motion of the machine tool 3 and the multi-axis linkage of the industrial robot 5 work together to achieve all-round cladding of complex curved surfaces or rotating workpieces.

[0043] The powder feeder 7 accurately delivers metal powder to the powder feeding port of the powder feeding cladding head 6 through a wear-resistant powder feeding hose. The laser 12, an optical fiber or semiconductor laser, transmits high-energy laser light to the laser input port of the powder feeding cladding head through a laser transmission fiber. The laser beam and the powder flow converge above the workpiece surface, and the powder melts instantly to form a molten pool.

[0044] As the workpiece rotates and the industrial robot 5 moves, the molten pool rapidly solidifies to form a dense metal cladding layer. A molten pool spectral sensor collects the characteristic spectral intensity of the molten pool region in real time, while a molten pool vision sensor collects the shape characteristic parameters of the molten pool for monitoring cladding quality. A dual-color infrared thermometer continuously monitors the surface temperature of the cladding strip. When the temperature drops to 0.6–0.8 times the solidus temperature of the material, a high-speed infrared camera 11 is triggered to acquire images. A structured light projector installed behind the powder-feeding cladding head 6 projects multiple parallel lines of structured light onto the solidified cladding strip surface. The high-speed infrared camera 11 acquires the structured light image after high-modulation of the cladding strip surface for three-dimensional topography reconstruction. An electric telescopic rod 8 drives the guide plate 9 to move, allowing the high-speed infrared camera 11 on the electro-permanent magnet chuck 10 to approach or move away from the workpiece. The electro-permanent magnet chuck 10 facilitates adsorption and fixation or auxiliary positioning of detection equipment when necessary.

[0045] A high-precision positioning compensation system is used to ensure that the powder feeding and cladding head 6 mounted on the end effector of the industrial robot 5 can maintain a precise relative position with the workpiece during long-term, multi-degree-of-freedom motion. The laser tracking target 14 installed on the end effector of the industrial robot 5 continuously emits infrared laser signals. Multiple laser tracking receivers 15 installed at different positions on the support frame 2 simultaneously receive the signals. Each laser tracking receiver 15 exchanges ranging data and synchronization clock signals with the laser tracking target 14 in real time through a bidirectional infrared laser communication link. Each laser tracking receiver 15 independently measures the distance between itself and the target and transmits the collected raw data to the positioning compensation controller 16. The data acquisition module in the positioning compensation controller 16 receives the ranging values ​​uploaded by each laser tracking receiver 15. The deviation calculation module calculates the actual three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the end effector of the industrial robot 5 based on the polygonal measurement method and the known fixed coordinates of each receiver. At the same time, if the laser tracking target 14 integrates an inertial measurement unit, it will also calculate the attitude angles of the end effector, including pitch, yaw, and roll. The positioning compensation controller 16 compares the calculated actual pose with the theoretical pose provided by the kinematic model of the industrial robot 5, and calculates the deviation vector between the two, including position deviation and attitude deviation. The communication compensation module writes the deviation compensation value into the control cabinet of the industrial robot 5 in real time via the industrial Ethernet protocol. The servo system of the industrial robot 5 adjusts the motion parameters of each joint according to the compensation value, so that the end-effector pose approaches the theoretical value. The above process runs continuously in a loop with a sampling period of not less than 100Hz, forming a real-time closed-loop control. No matter what kind of drift occurs in the industrial robot 5 due to long-term operation, temperature changes, or load fluctuations, the system can complete the detection and correction within the next sampling period, always keeping the dynamic positioning error within ±0.05mm.

[0046] When the ambient temperature sensor detects that the temperature change inside the protective cover exceeds the set threshold, it automatically triggers the calibration correction program to compensate for the displacement of the laser tracking receiver 15 installation reference caused by thermal deformation, ensuring the stability of long-term operation.

[0047] The integrated dust collection and heat dissipation device 13 simultaneously collects and removes metal dust and cools the cladding area during the cladding process, ensuring safe equipment operation and the quality of the cladding layer. The protective cover completely encloses the support frame 2, machine tool 3, support base 4, and industrial robot 5. Metal dust generated during the cladding process is confined within the protective cover, preventing it from spreading to the external environment. After the negative pressure dust collector is activated, it continuously draws air from the protective cover's exhaust port through the exhaust pipe, creating a negative pressure state relative to the external environment. The airflow carrying metal dust is drawn into the exhaust pipe and first enters the cyclone separator. Large metal fragments settle and separate under centrifugal force, falling into the dust collection hopper. The airflow containing micron-sized dust continues into the cartridge filter, where the dust is intercepted. Clean air remains on the surface of the filter cartridge, passes through the cartridge, and the final HEPA filter captures residual submicron-sized ultrafine dust, ensuring that the emitted air meets environmental standards. For dust from reactive metals such as titanium and aluminum, the negative pressure dust collector is equipped with an explosion-proof pressure relief port and a flame arrestor. In the event of an accidental spark or dust explosion, the pressure relief port quickly releases pressure, and the flame arrestor prevents the flame from spreading back to the protective cover. The dust concentration sensor on the inner wall of the top of the protective cover monitors the concentration of suspended dust inside the cover in real time. When the concentration exceeds the preset safety threshold, the negative pressure dust collector is automatically linked to increase the exhaust power and increase the exhaust volume to quickly reduce the dust concentration.

[0048] An external inert gas source (such as argon or helium) provides high-pressure gas, which is adjusted to the set flow rate (5~50L / min) by a precision gas mass flow controller, and then delivered to the gas distribution manifold via a cooling gas preheater (preheating if necessary to prevent cold shock). The gas distribution manifold distributes the gas flow to the nozzles on both sides of the powder feeding and cladding head 6. The nozzle outlet axis forms an angle of 30° to 60° with the laser optical axis. The spray directions of the two nozzles intersect at the leading edge or center of the molten pool, forming a symmetrical cooling airflow. The cooling gas acts directly on the high-temperature molten pool and its surrounding area, and removes excess heat through forced convection. For thin-walled parts or substrates with poor heat dissipation, the flow rate can be adjusted to precisely control the cooling rate, preventing excessive thermal stress that could lead to cracking. The cooling airflow also acts as a purging agent, blowing away loose dust and spatter from the processing area in front of the cladding path or around the molten pool, reducing slag inclusions and lowering the concentration of suspended dust. The control unit of the cooling gas jet assembly is linked with the industrial robot controller 5 and the laser 12 power output signal. When the laser power increases, the control unit synchronously increases the cooling gas flow rate to match the cooling intensity with the heat input, maintaining coordination between the molten pool solidification rate and the laser scanning speed, and obtaining a uniform cladding layer structure. The electromagnetic switch valve on the nozzle automatically shuts off the cooling gas during non-cladding periods, saving gas consumption. When pulse cooling is required, intermittent spraying can be achieved according to a set sequence.

[0049] Before cladding: Activate the high-precision positioning compensation system to calibrate and preheat the end effector of the industrial robot; activate the negative pressure dust collector to create a negative pressure environment inside the protective cover.

[0050] During cladding: Industrial robot 5 moves along the planned trajectory, and the high-precision positioning compensation system corrects the posture deviation in real time to ensure that the powder feeding cladding head 6 is accurately aligned with the workpiece. Laser 12 outputs laser, powder feeder 7 delivers metal powder to the molten pool, and at the same time, cooling gas is sprayed from nozzles on both sides to control the cooling rate of the molten pool. Negative pressure dust collector continuously removes the generated metal dust, and dust concentration sensor monitors and adjusts the exhaust power accordingly.

[0051] After cladding: The high-precision positioning compensation system stops dynamic compensation and can record the last pose data for future reference; the cooling gas injection component shuts down after a certain delay to continue cooling the cladding layer to a safe temperature; the negative pressure dust collector continues to run for a period of time to completely remove residual dust inside the hood before automatically shutting down.

[0052] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "coaxial," "bottom," "one end," "top," "middle," "other end," "upper," "side," "top," "inner," "front," "center," "both ends," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "setting," "connection," "fixing," "screw connection," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components. Unless otherwise explicitly limited, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A laser cladding device for metallic materials, characterized in that, The system includes a base (1), a support frame (2) is installed on the top of the base (1), machine tools (3) are installed on both sides of the inside of the support frame (2), a support seat (4) is installed between the two machine tools (3), an industrial robot (5) is installed on the top of the support seat (4), a powder feeding and cladding head (6) and a laser (12) are installed at the output end of the industrial robot (5), a high-precision positioning compensation system is installed between the industrial robot (5) and the machine tools (3), and a dust removal and heat dissipation integrated device (13) is also installed on the base (1). The machine tool (3) includes a mounting base (301), a support plate (302), and a movable plate (303). The mounting base (301) is fixedly mounted on the base (1). The support plate (302) and the movable plate (303) are both located on the top of the mounting base (301) and are movably connected to the mounting base (301). A clamping mechanism is provided on the side of the support plate (302) near the movable plate (303). A positioning post (304) is provided on the side of the movable plate (303) near the support plate (302). The clamping mechanism includes a drive motor (305), a rotating disk (306), a clamping block (307), a screw (308), and a movable block (309). The drive motor (305) is fixedly mounted on the support plate (302). The rotating disk (306) is located on the support plate (302) and is movably connected to the support plate (303). 302) Movable connection, the output end of the drive motor (305) is fixedly connected to the rotating disk (306), several clamping blocks (307) are provided, and they are all located on the side of the rotating disk (306) away from the drive motor (305). Several cavities are opened inside the rotating disk (306). One end of the screw (308) is movably connected to the inner wall of the cavity. The other end of the screw (308) passes through the rotating disk (306) and extends to the outside of the rotating disk (306), and a rotating knob is fixedly connected to the end. An opening is opened on one side of the cavity. The movable block (309) is sleeved on the screw (308) and threadedly connected to the screw (308). One end of the movable block (309) passes through the opening and extends to the outside of the rotating disk (306), and the end is fixedly connected to the clamping block (307). The high-precision positioning compensation system includes a laser tracking target (14), a laser tracking receiver (15), and a positioning compensation controller (16). The laser tracking target (14) is installed at the end of an industrial robot (5). There are several laser tracking receivers (15), all of which are installed on a support frame (2). The positioning compensation controller (16) is electrically connected to the laser tracking receivers (15). The laser tracking target (14) and the laser tracking receivers (15) are electrically connected.

2. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (1) is also provided with a powder feeder (7), which is connected to the powder feeding cladding head (6) through a wear-resistant powder feeding hose.

3. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame (2) is also equipped with several electric telescopic rods (8). The output end of the electric telescopic rod (8) is fixedly connected to a guide plate (9). An electro-permanent magnet chuck (10) is movably connected to the guide plate (9). A high-speed infrared camera (11) is installed on the electro-permanent magnet chuck (10).

4. The laser cladding device for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning column (304) is movably connected to the movable plate (303) via a ball bearing.

5. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support plate (302) has an annular groove on the side near the rotating disk (306), and the rotating disk (306) is equipped with a number of positioning blocks that match the annular groove.

6. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support frame (2) is also provided with reinforcing ribs, and the base (1) and the support frame (2) are made of metal materials.

7. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser (12) is either a fiber laser or a semiconductor laser, and the laser (12) is connected to the laser input port of the powder feeding cladding head (6) through a laser transmission fiber.

8. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The industrial robot (5) is also equipped with a molten pool spectral sensor and a molten pool vision sensor, and a structured light projector is also provided on one side of the powder feeding and cladding head (6).

9. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 3, characterized in that, The high-speed infrared camera (11) is electrically connected to a dual-color infrared thermometer.

10. The laser cladding apparatus for metallic materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integrated dust removal and heat dissipation device (13) includes a protective cover, a negative pressure dust collector and a cooling gas injection assembly. The protective cover is set on the base (1). The support frame (2), machine tool (3), support base (4) and industrial robot (5) are all set inside the protective cover. The protective cover is connected to the negative pressure dust collector through an exhaust pipe. The cooling gas injection assembly includes nozzles set on both sides of the powder feeding and cladding head (6).

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