7-axis synchronization-integrated on-the-fly laser texturing system of freeform surface: design and development

• Published in: International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing 2025-02, Vol.7 (1), p.15103
• Main Authors: Ma, Wenqi, Zhang, Jinmiao, Zhao, Liang, Hu, Zhenjiang, Zhao, Xuesen, Sun, Tao, Zhang, Junjie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Axis movements; Five axis; following error; freeform surface; Galvanometers; Kinematics; Laser beam texturing; laser micromachining system; laser surface texturing; Lasers; Manufacturing; multi-axis linkage motion; multi-axis synchronization; Surface layers; Synchronism; Texturing
• ISSN: 2631-8644; 2631-7990
• DOI: 10.1088/2631-7990/ad8aa8

While laser surface texturing (LST) is a promising manufacturing technique for surface functionalization, simultaneously realizing high precision and high efficiency in the LST of complex curved surface is challenging, due to continuously varied geometries of laser-matter incidence. In the present work, we propose a novel manufacturing system of 7-axis on-the-fly LST for complex curved surface, based on the integrated synchronization of 5-axis linkage motion platform with 2-axis galvanometer. Specifically, the algorithm for decomposing spatial texture trajectory on curved surface into low-frequency and high-frequency parts is established, based on which the kinematic model of synchronized 7-axis system is developed to derive the motion of each axis in both 5-axis linkage motion platform and 2-axis galvanometer simultaneously. Subsequently, the synchronized 7-axis LST system is experimentally realized, including the setup of mechanical stages integrated with optical path, the configuration of numerical control unit, and the development of processing software. Finally, case study of 7-axis on-the-fly LST of freeform aluminum surface is performed, and the advantages in terms of processing efficiency and texturing accuracy over 5-axis linkage LST are demonstrated. The correlation of reduced following errors between mechanical stages with the promoted performance of curved surface texturing by the 7-axis on-the-fly LST is further analyzed. Current work provides a feasible solution for establishing the manufacturing system for high performance LST of complex curved surface. Manufacturing system of 7-axis on-the-fly LST based on integrated synchronization between 5-axis linkage motion platform and 2-axis galvanometer is proposed. Algorithm of spatial texture trajectory decomposition and corresponding kinematic model of 7-axis synchronization are developed. Experimental configurations of 7-axis synchronization and corresponding numerical control strategy are realized. 7-axis on-the-fly LST of large area freeform surface with promoted processing efficiency and accuracy accompanied by reduced following errors is demonstrated.