By: Dr. Bhaskar Dutta

POM Group Inc.

POM’s patented close loop Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) process allows precision metal deposition using a laser and a coaxial powder delivery system. Besides this, DMD systems include DMDCAM, a comprehensive 6-axis CAM software solution to generate deposition paths for contour, surface and volume geometry, adopting different deposition path strategies required in Additive Manufacturing processes. The end benefits are enormous, and yields near net shape parts directly from CAD data with controlled heat input, minimal distortion and fine microstructure. However, recent advances in the DMD technology has pushed this envelop further. A superior close loop feedback system has been designed and developed that monitors and controls melt pool geometry as well as temperature simultaneously. The new control will be particularly beneficial for cladding applications, such as wear and/or corrosion protection solutions that often involve dissimilar metal deposition. The new feedback control has been successfully tested and integrated with commercial DMD systems. These new sensors coupled with POM’s process diagnostic software will enable researchers and engineers a new capability for research and development on additive manufacturing, as well as allow manufacturing industry a more robust control on the process.

SYNERGY5 and DMD 405g are POMs two new generation DMD systems that combine additive manufacturing with subtractive manufacturing to produce the end product directly from CAD data with very high precision. While SYNERGY5 uses a newly developed dry microEDM technology for post processing of the DMD part, DMD 405g uses a femtosecond laser for post processing. The development of these new systems will open up new industry segments for application of DMD technology.

Figure : SYNERGY5 machine with combined DMD-DryEDM technology.