PIERS ONLINE, VOL. 4, NO.

8, 2008 876
Integrated Robotic Plasma Spraying System for Advanced
Materials Processing
Weisheng Xia
1,2
, Haiou Zhang
2
, Gui-Lan Wang
1
,
Yunzhen Yang
1
, Guangchao Han
3
, and Haiping Zou
1
1
State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
2
State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing and Equipment Technology
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
3
China University of Geosiences, China
Abstract During atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), to control the time dependent D.C.
plasma jet behavior requires the comprehensive understanding of its electric, magnetic, thermal,
thermodynamic phenomena. In this paper, inuence of particles injection with the form of
suspension on the uctuation of plasma jet is analyzed, and a control approach is presented
to eliminate the eect. Moreover, an integrated robotic plasma spraying system for advanced
materials processing, i.e., rapid metal tooling and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), is developed,
which combines a PC-based controller with a six-axis robot. The intelligent adaptive adjustment
of robot spraying trajectories and self-dispatch of manufacturing strategies were carried out by
the resultant system according to the feedback of the temperature and thickness of sprayed
coatings and other information during plasma praying. The exibility of the forming system
was promoted by integrating plasma spray forming with robot motion control. Excellent control
performance is observed and this system can be eective to meet the requirements of dierent
materials processing techniques.
1. INTRODUCTION
Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) has already been applied in widespread industries for a variety
of applications due to its low cost and simplicity [1]. It can rapidly manufacture coatings with
almost all kinds of materials, such as metals, alloys, ceramics and polymers. Hence, APS has
successfully shifted from a traditional technology for surface engineering to a versatile material
processing one, and drawn keen attention especially for its noteworthy application of solid oxide
fuel cells (SOFCs) [2, 3].
Meanwhile, there is an increasing use of robot in industry domains because of its high exibility
and broad operating region [4, 5]. For further study on rapid tooling using plasma thermal spray
technology, we conducted developmental research of combining the industry robotic technology and
plasma thermal spray technology to establish integrated robotic rapid spray metal tooling process
for manufacturing injection molding tools and sheet metal forming dies.
2. INTEGRATED ROBOTIC PLASMA SPRAYING SYSTEM
2.1. System Design and Setup
As a line-of-sight process, APS can fabricate satisfying coatings with complex geometries through
holding spray guns by a robot. It is very easy and simple to generate a spray trajectory or modify
processing parameters by using a programmable robot, such as spray angle, spray distance, scanning
velocity and step, etc. Moreover, robotic plasma spraying has proved a feasible and high-ecient
solution to ensure a high accuracy in process and coating repeatability.
System make-up of robotic plasma spraying system is shown in Fig. 1, which includes plasma
jet generator, six-axis industrial robot and turning platform, powder injector, and PC+PLC based
control system. Siemens S7-300 PLC was connected to the system through MPI (Multi-Point
Interface), and the opening OPC (Ole for Process Control) protocol was applied for the data com-
munication between PC and PLC. Communication between PC and UP-20 robot was established
based on the data transmission medium of Ethernet, and the robot control software was developed
for the host control and the exchanging of working jobs by PC. PC was chose as the central con-
troller of the system with the help of process monitoring software with COM (Component Object
Model) technology to meet with the multiple requirements of process monitoring and processing
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optimization, information storage, computing resources and so on. Hence, the superiorities of PLC
over the stable and safe control of eld apparatus and that of PC over process monitoring, data
storage, control algorithm were eectively integrated to enhance the system function. Finally, the
robotic plasma spray forming system was established accompanied with forming process monitor-
ing, intelligent adaptive adjustment of robot spraying trajectories, real-time control of robot and
other functions. The intelligent adaptive adjustment of robot spraying trajectories and self-dispatch
of manufacturing strategies were carried out by the resultant system according to the feedback of
the temperature and thickness of sprayed coatings during plasma praying [6].
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of robotic plasma spray forming system.
2.2. Inuence of Suspension Injection on the Fluctuation of Plasma Jet
During plasma spraying, to control the time dependent D.C. plasma jet behavior requires the
comprehensive understanding of its electric, magnetic, thermal, thermodynamic phenomena. The
arc uctuations already have an important inuence on particles velocities and temperatures. This
inuence is by far more important with the suspension injection because uctuations act on drops
or jet penetration, fragmentation, particle trajectories, heating and acceleration. Plasma properties
(e.g., velocity, specic enthalpy, gas mass density) vary continuously along the plasma jet radius
i.e., along the suspension penetration path toward the plasma jet axis [7]. The instabilities of the
arc root of the D.C. torch involve high transient voltage uctuations and thus dissipated power
uctuations, resulting in plasma jets varying continuously in length and position [8] with strong
variations of their velocities in the axial direction.
(a) (b)
Figure 2: Experimental set-up of (a) SPS and (b) the atomization prole of suspension.
Figure 2(a) presents the scheme of the experimental system for SPS using in this study. The
liquid feedstock system is composed of three stainless steel tanks, in which suspensions are stored,
and stirred and mixed continually by the propeller xed in the tank. During the process of SPS,
tanks are pressured with compressed air (N
2
) monitored and controlled with a rotor ow meter
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and pressure regulating valve. It is worth noting rst that the momentum of the liquid droplets
has to be high enough to ensure their penetration into the core of the plasma jet. Hence, the
atomized nozzle was self-designed with three inlets for suspensions and one inlet for the atomizing
gas. Picture of suspension drops by the atomized nozzle is shown in Fig. 2(b). Hence, the liquid
feedstock system can be used for the SPS process of three dierent suspension compositions, and
the pressure of the tank of the suspension feeders can be varied to modify the drop velocities.
In this paper, images of plasma jet are collected by a charge-coupled device (CCD), and then
grey values are calculated through the formal image processing and grey transform, nally, tem-
perature eld of plasma jet was obtained through the Abel transformation on the basis of the
relationship between the grey value of images and the radiation intensity of plasma jet, which was
established through the calibration experiment [9]. From the temperature eld information, it is
easy to establish optimal processing parameters, and also would further reduce costs and make
spraying tooling more attractive, and furthermore, it can keep the forming process and quality of
coatings. Dierent proles of plasma jet during suspension injection are shown in Fig. 3. After the
adjustment, the particle suspension ow uently from the tank to the injector and it is also easy
to penetrate into the center zone of plasma jet. This case is benecial to enhance the deposition
eciency and the utilization ratio of powders.
(a) (b)
Figure 3: Dierent proles of plasma jet inuenced by suspension injection (a) during and (b) after adjust-
ment process.
3. ADVANCED MATERIALS PROCESSING
3.1. An Application of SOFC
Figure 4 illustrates the surface line-scan photograph of the planar PEN (Positive-Electrolyte-
Negative) coatings. The PEN was composed of anode, graded layer, electrolyte, graded layer
and cathode. In the two graded layers between the respective electrode and the electrolyte, the
material components gradually vary and every component layers contact tightly. The porosity of
the anode graded layer changes gradually from high to low, and the porosity of the cathode graded
layer gradually changes from low to high. The thicknesses of the anode, the electrolyte and the
cathode are 200, 60, and 100 m, respectively. In order to avoid increasing the resistance of cell,
the graded layer only has the thickness of 20 30 m. According to the AC complex analysis
results and comparison with the electrical conductivity of the PEN without the graded layers, the
electrical conductivity of the one with the graded layers increased sharply.
Figure 4: SEM of the planar PEN.
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3.2. Rapid Metal Tooling
Rapid metal tooling has received widespread attention because die and mold-making of rapid
tooling for both trial and mass production poses a problem in realizing the rapid development of
new products. It has been demonstrated that thermal spraying process is an attractive method to
manufacture metal molds of any size ranging from small to large.
Our integrated robotic rapid spray metal tooling process was based on the 6-DOF (Degree of
Freedom) industry robot. This industrial robot was employed to perform the central content of
the rapid metal tooling procedure. First, a ceramic block was fabricated into ceramic prototype
mould through robotic milling procedure. Second, the ceramic mould surfaces were coated with
iron-nickel-chromium alloy layers by robotic plasma spraying procedure, and then bismuth alloy,
which undergoes little thermal expansion, or zinc alloy was cast to make the backup of the sprayed
layer. Finally, the ceramic pattern was broken and removed, so that robotic polishing of the sprayed
layer proceeded and the completion of the metal tools for injection molding or sheet metal forming
was obtained [10].
Using the methods of generating robotic trajectory of milling, spray and polishing, the iron-
nickel-chromium alloy spray automobile cover components die mould was experimentally made.
Fig. 5 shows model and mould pictures of integrated robotic plasma spraying metal tooling process.
The fabricated mould can satises the craft forming request completely.
(a) (b) (c)
Figure 5: (a) Concave mould, (b) protruding mould assembling chart and (c) the product of the car panel.
4. CONCLUSIONS
1) In order to improve the process quality and reliability of plasma spray, an integrated RPS
system is developed, which provides users with the high quality of spraying forming and
coatings. This system can meet the requirement of advanced materials processing, and also
has satisfying operation and ne control eects.
2) A control approach is presented to eliminate the inuence of suspension injection on the
plasma jet. It is helpful for users to achieve the optimal process parameters and develop
process control in spraying process.
3) Fabrication experiments of the automobile cover component and the planar PEN of SOFC
conrm the multipurpose uses of this system. It can enable spraying tooling large and medium
mould with complex surface and the consistent production of those coatings.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the 863 project from the Ministry of Science
and Technology (2007AA04Z142), as well as that of the National Nature Science Foundation of
China (Grant No. 50675081). In particular, thanks are given to the Analytical and Testing Center
of the Huazhong University of Science & Technology.
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