A metholology for the application of hybrid additive and subtractive machines for the coating and repair of hot stamping tools

Abstract

This research work is focused on the study of the application of the Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) technology to hot stamping. In this process, high-added-value components are used, such as stamping tools, whose repair or localised coating can be of great industrial interest. In addition, the great flexibility of additive technologies also opens doors to new designs of traditional components, which can be an innovation towards the manufacture of new parts, with all that this implies. Throughout this work, several topics have been dealt with, ranging from the characterization of materials for their correct deposition to their application in the generation of coatings or geometries. In addition, thermal and mechanical analyses have been performed in order to determine the capabilities and potential benefits that the use of LMD can offer compared to conventional manufacturing techniques. The final aim of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of the LMD process as a new manufacturing approach applicable to the die and mould industry, overcoming the challenges and fulfilling the requirements inherent to this sector.