Laser Aided Part Repair-A Review

Laser aided part-repair is an emerging trend that has great potential for future industrial applications. Part-repair technologies are currently used in repairing military and civilian equipment. The focus of this paper is to review the current repair processes, which use the laseraided metal deposition technology. Many metal parts, which are worn by continual use, can be restored to working condition by the deposition of metal with a laser and machining. This not only extends the life of the part, but also, saves on cost. A comparison between various processes, their parameters, efficiency, cost, and etc. are also presented. The process limitations, materials, and areas that are best suited for each process are also discussed.This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant Number DMI-9871185, Missouri Research Board, and a grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development through the MRTC grant.Mechanical Engineerin