CAM system applications in additive technologies as shown by wire and arc additive manufacturing and SPRUTCAM

BACKGROUND: In Russia, wire and arc additive manufacturing and laser direct deposition technologies are actively developing and applied in various industries. Wire and arc additive manufacturing is gaining interest as a cost-effective technology that uses a standard robotic welding cell. AIM: To study a possible application of SPRUTCAM CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) system to automate the control program generation for wire and arc additive manufacturing of metal products. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The article illustrates the stages of 3D modeling, creating a digital equipment twin, building the tool’s movement path and generating a control program by making a copy of a medieval axe handle. RESULTS: A SPRUTCAM control program was uploaded to the robotic arm controller and executed without errors. The control program allowed to make a blank axe handle. The article reviews the experiment, identifies key issues, and proposes ways to solve them. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that SPRUTCAM can successfully be used to automate the wire and arc additive manufacturing; however, it requires additional adjustment and optimization of parameters.