Technology of robotic additive manufacturing of products of complex geometric shape made of metal

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is replacing traditional subtractive manufacturing, where parts are manufactured by sequentially removing parts of the workpiece. In 3D printing, the material is added in layers, which makes it possible to produce parts of complex geometric shapes from expensive metals with higher productivity and economic efficiency. In order to carry out 3D printing at the industrial level, it is necessary to combine robotics with 3D printing software. This article presents the results of adaptation and programming of an industrial robot for 3D printing. Since there is currently no specialized software for 3D printing of metal products, one option is to optimize the available software for 3D printers. The slicer allows you to slice the CAD model into layers and set printing parameters. The software for autonomous programming of industrial robots allows industrial robots to be used as 3D printers. The G-code generated in the slicer is easily recognized in the program and then translated into the robot's language. According to the loaded model, the program automatically generates the trajectory of the burner. Each layer represents a normal along which the movement of the working tool (welding torch) will be carried out. Transitions between layers are also displayed as normals. As a result, a prototype carbon steel impeller was printed using a welding machine and metal wire. The developed technological process proved successful and proved that an industrial robot in conjunction with a welding machine can be used as an industrial 3D printer.