Robot-assisted shape deposition manufacturing

Solid freeform fabrication and shape deposition are rapid manufacturing processes which build parts by incremental material deposition and fusion of cross-sectional layers. In this paper, several thermal deposition processes are described for directly fabricating prototype metal shapes using robotically manipulated material deposition systems. A robotic palletizing/part transfer system is also described which integrates multiple deposition and shaping processes into a single facility for rapidly manufacturing functional shapes