The Synergies of Hybridizing CNC and Additive Manufacturing

Jason B. Jones, PhD

Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies, Plano, Texas, USA & Coventry, Warwickshire, UK

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords: Since its inception, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been dominated by stand-alone
Hybrid Manufacturing system architectures. This has fostered implementation of AM independent from other
Additive Manufacturing (AM) manufacturing technologies. With mirrored myopia, the CNC world has largely been an
3D Printing idle spectator to the advancements in AM of metals during the last decade.
CNC
Machining The compatible and complementary nature of CNC and AM means that they need not
In-process Inspection and should not be mutually exclusive. To fully leverage the potential synergies of additive
Remanufacturing and subtractive technologies, hybrid machine tools, equipped for CNC and AM, enable
Rapid Prototyping the use of both technologies in optimal proportions as needed. This paper demonstrates
hybrid CNC machines equipped with laser cladding capabilities. This combination
provides an ideal platform for high-value part repair, refurbishment and modification. It
enables in-process finishing of metal AM parts, typically achieving an order of magnitude
improvement in accuracy and surface finish straight out of the machine (including
elimination of stair-stepping effects inherent in layered manufacturing). Furthermore,
interleaving material deposition and milling enables the creation of unique hybrid parts
which are not achievable using either technology independently. The author asserts that
as AM surges forward with end-use part production, the sun is setting on the era of its
use in isolation.

1 Introduction Inherent in all planar layer-based AM methods is the

tension between the desire to improve surface finish
The combination of AM with CNC has been widely without sacrificing productivity and vice versa (Figure 1).
practiced in academic and research circles and even in This issue has been a strong and recurring theme for more
isolated industrial applications for many years. Despite the than two decades according to Bourell [10] and features
widely acknowledged benefits [1-6] of this combination, prominently in virtually every roadmap the author is aware
its implementation has been limited primarily for reasons of [for example see 11, 12]. Perhaps this dilemma is most
of practicality [7]. This paper reports progress to tactfully phrased on Objet machines when the user must
implement additive functions (especially directed energy choose between “high speed” (high productivity) or “high
deposition) into CNC machine tools so that changeover quality” (improved surface finish), but cannot have both.
from adding material to subtracting (milling) it is as easy as
a conventional tool change. This paper reports interim
Intended
progress of an ongoing case study of this new hybrid
surface
approach following on from a report ~two years ago [8].

1.1 The productivity dilemma

Despite many improvements to AM in the last
decade, its productivity is typically an order of magnitude
lower than CNC. In fact, one study recently asserted that
CNC technology (rather than AM) is the primary driver ↑ Productivity or ↑ Surface Finish
and facilitator of the maker and customization trends in
the market [9]. This fact incentivizes AM to improve its Figure 1: Cross-section showing the productivity dilemma of AM – is it
productivity which leads to the following dilemma: better to have increased productivity or improved surface finish?

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 1

2 Why Hybridize? AeroMet Corp. (Eden Prarie, MN) was one of the
early systems which offered laser cladding/deposition on a
One approach to solving this dilemma is to combine milling machine and focused on production of aerospace
additive deposition with subsequent machining, thus alloys/parts and produced parts flying on the F-15 [23].
independently controlling surface finish and productivity Unfortunately, technical problems with the CO2 lasers,
(which is largely governed by layer thickness). among other difficulties, compromised the viability of the
company which has ceased trading.
Intended
surface Work undertaken recently in the EU used a common
part fixturing system in a selective laser melting machine
and a CNC machine in order to facilitate part transfer
between the two [6, 20].

Research at the University of Texas El Paso under

the direction of Dr. Ryan Wicker has made a variety of
↑ Productivity (AM) + ↑ Surface Finish (CNC) systems which use a CNC machine, primarily for its
flexibility as a platform rather than for productivity
Figure 2: Cross-sectional view showing higher productivity AM
reasons, to combine different variations of FDM
deposition, then overbuilt outer surface CNC machined deposition and other technologies [24, 25]. An image of
their system is shown in Figure 3.

Using AM in tandem with machining is currently

standard practice for the vast majority of metallic parts
produced by AM which require machining in order to
have a suitable surface finish to mate surfaces, avoid stress
risers, improve cosmetics, etc. While this practice provides
one answer to the dilemma (and is entirely appropriate for
some cases), it requires a substantial investment in
multiple machines, operators, etc. A more synergistic
approach to integrating these complimentary techniques
has been the subject of substantial research since the
1990’s when metal AM research began [13-15].
Figure 3: Multi-material, multi-technology FDM which shuttles the
3 Review of Hybrid Approaches part platform back and forth to achieve the combined use of
multiple technologies (and multiple materials) in a single build
Hybridizing between additive and subtractive (Image courtesy of Ryan Wicker, University of Texas at El Paso and
technologies has a substantial history [2, 5, 6, 16-20]. A described in [25])
few of these systems are reviewed here for context.

Many AM practices and techniques have grown out 4 Practicality

of the CNC industry. Some such as FDM/extrusion have Each of the aforementioned endeavors has made a
selectively incorporated some CNC features, but did not valuable contribution technically and also helped promote
match the form or construction rigidity of CNC. Others understanding of the benefits that make hybrid systems
such as tape lamination by ultrasonic consolidation have desirable; however to date, none of them has experienced
always been undertaken in some variation of a machine widespread adoption. Apart from ultrasonic consolidation
tool in order to provide the high accuracy and surface and discontinued historic systems, the only commercial
finish needed for the target application. offering of integrated hybrid systems is a combined SLM
and CNC machine (Lumex Advance-25, Matsuura, Japan)
Dr. Rado Kovacevic led research based at SMU in which has been piloted only in Japan and Asia, with a
Dallas to create a tandem system which combined a robot 2014 North America release announced.
welder with a CNC machine to finish the deposited
material [21]. More recently several laser cladding heads This absence of commercial hybrid offerings,
have been mounted into a CNC machine most notably supports the observations of Zue et al. that in combining
work by Steven Nowotny [22]. multiple stand-alone technologies inevitably involves some
compromise and a tremendous amount of learning [7].
Furthermore, Nau et al. expressed that one of the

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 2

challenges for hybrid technologies is “how to launch these In consequence of the lack of a machine tool during the
technologies into an existing shop-floor” help them realize first half of the project, efforts and expectations evolved
the “intended productivity” [5]. to focus on development of a laser cladding system which
could be retrofit to virtually any CNC machine (new or old),
Given the consensus of potential benefits for regardless of its controller. Although the uncertainty was
hybridizing AM and CNC, yet lack of widespread frustrating at the time, it was a critical constraint which led
adoption, it appears self-evident that practicality has been the to adoption of a more practical approach to implement
primary impediment to its adoption. The following subsections this technology on the shop floor. The last few years has
are dedicated to identifying the development innovations demonstrated the compatibility of the system with a
and conditions which the author submits have resulted in variety of CNC machine formats (including vertical and
the most practical and scalable approach realized to date. near horizontal spindles) as shown in Table 1.

4.1 AM as a (Retrofittable) Machine Tool Accessory 4.2 Retrofit: An Untapped Sales Channel for AM
The first step toward improved practicality was to set The technical decision to package this cladding
the scope of development to be an AM system which system as a machine tool accessory naturally led to the
could be added to virtually any CNC machine without possibility of offering AM as a retrofit onto new, used or
fundamentally modifying it. This trajectory was set in part end-of-life CNC machines. Although this practice is not
due to uncertainties in the early research project entirely unknown [26], augmenting existing machines
nicknamed RECLAIM [8]. Prior to the commencement of represents a virtually untapped sales channel in the AM
the project in 2008, no machine tool builder could be field. The original RECLAIM system (labelled as A in
persuaded to join the research, but with optimism that Table 1) was a double retrofit to a) upgrade an end-of-life
would be addressed in due course, preliminary work on CNC machine [8] and b) to add the new laser cladding
head development began as soon as the funding was module to it. This approach allowed substantial savings
granted. The acquisition of a suitable CNC machine was compared to the purchase of a new CNC or alternative
pursed for two years before resorting to the use of a motion platform. In connection with the lower cost-of-
“nearly end-of-life” CNC machine used by the author for entry into laser cladding, retrofitting existing CNC
teaching on the MSc course at De Montfort University machines provides for a way to derive additional value out
(which was loaned to the project only after much of end-of-life machines, defer additional capital
persuasion). During the initial two years without a expenditure and become familiar with the process
machine, progress fell behind schedule and some criticism capabilities with less commercial risk. The benefits of
was raised due to the uncertainty about which machine retrofitting to used equipment were confirmed with the
tool platform would be used as several candidate order for another system (not shown in Table 1) even
machines were sought, but not acquired. before the original hybrid system was fully complete.

Table 1 – Hybrid CNC machines which have been retrofit with tool changeable laser cladding

Machine tool platform A) Bostomatic BD18 B) Hamuel HSTM 1000 C) GF HPM 450U
No. Axes 4 5 5
Vertical milling machine 5 axis mill-turn machine with Compact 5 axis, vertical milling
Machine type
horizontal rotary A-axis synchronized horizontal rotary axes with tilt-rotary table
Size of machine (XYZ mm) 450x300x300 1450x400x570 600x450x450
Laser power (W) 200 400 1,200
Spindle speed (rpm) 10,000 16,000 12,000
Powder hoppers 1 2 4
Application(s) Impellers/Parameter dev. Complex blade repair New part manufacture

Image of the hybrid systems

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 3

4.3 Open & Transparent Control relies on manipulation of the part with linear and rotary
The integration of this system into multiple CNC axes. In order to avoid both compromises, it was
machines necessitated use of conventional G&M code determined that the laser cladding system would be
programming for motion (deposition tool paths) and the developed for use on the spindle centerline. The obvious
deposition parameters. This approach makes the system mechanism for mounting a cladding head on the spindle
inherently open and “backwards compatible” with existing was to use a tool holder.
CNC programming. Thus machinists are able to
understand, run and even edit part programs for hybrid 4.5 Heat Source: Laser
processing in the same way they do for subtractive tool The heat source for directed energy deposition is
paths. In the case of the first Bostomatic machine, the typically an arc, laser, or electron beam. The development
spindle on-off M-code was even hijacked (only while the of a system using a laser was prioritized because of the
laser cladding head was in the spindle) in order to turn the relatively minor changes needed to adapt the machine tool
laser on and off, thus demonstrating that it is possible to for its use (including beam delivery and fully
integrate the system without using custom M-codes if enclosed/interlocked guarding to make it laser safe).
absolutely necessary. In subsequent systems user definable Although an alternative arc-based welding approach was
M-codes have been used (individually and multiplexed) to undertaken and is ongoing, the best method for
augment process control options. electrically grounding the work piece in four and five axis
CNC machines (and avoiding the catastrophic
4.4 Deposition on Spindle Centerline consequences of grounding the high arc voltage through
Many researchers have approached the combination the CNC machine itself) continues to be the subject of
of these technologies by mounting welding equipment on research. Furthermore the need for a vacuum
the side of the spindle or spindle column [4]. Indeed the environment for effective use of an electron beam
early prototypes and developments of this system included discouraged its use where retrofittability is a priority.
bench top and telescopic mounting on the side of the
spindle as shown in Figure 4. 4.6 Cable Management for Automated Changeover
Several prior endeavors to combine directed energy
deposition into machine tools have used tool holders as
the mounting method [22], however as far as the author is
aware, in every instance these heads were supplied by an
umbilical cable (which was not easily disconnected) which
imposes cable management requirements on machine
tools during use and storage of the additive head. This
created significant compromise, therefore it was
determined that to fully capitalize on the benefits of
hybrid additive and subtractive systems, convenient
disconnecting of the supply lines would be required.

Figure 4: Welding equipment attached to the side of the spindle using

a telescopic mount which can be lowered for deposition (right) and
then retracted out of the way during other operations (left).

Although mounting on the spindle column provides

the desired additive functionality it encroaches on the
working area of the CNC machine (because the offset
from the spindle centerline effectively reduces the
machine travel). This encroachment may be considered
only a minor nuisance for large 3-axis machines, however
as axes of rotation are added the reduction is
compounded dramatically reducing the effective working Figure 5: Image showing a developmental cladding head, touch probe,
volume. Furthermore, directed energy deposition typically and end mill all co-existing in the tool changer (and disconnected
from any supply lines)
undertaken with minimal support structures and therefore

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 4

 The proposed solution was to develop a manifold In order to achieve robustness, a range of laser
which would dock with the cladding head when it was cladding heads has been re-designed and re-built from
loaded into the spindle and then undock after deposition scratch. More delicate optical components were relocated
operations. In this way cable management would become into the docking manifold (which is controlled with more
much simpler during use of the head and equally gentle acceleration and deceleration that most tool
importantly, it would facilitate storage of the head outside changers). This enabled a reduction in the number of
of the working volume of the CNC machine. Having the components (and selection of only robust components) in
head on a tool holder would make the natural place to the heads. Thereby head survival dramatically increases
store it in the tool changer (as shown in Figure 5). after a drop or CNC crash (all of these are inevitable in a
CNC environment and have been tested, sometimes
However, after two years of pursuing a docking inadvertently, throughout the course of this research and
system without success, (due to a variety of complications development). Also, in the case of head failure,
concerning reliable connecting and disconnecting fittings replacement cost decreases. The ability to readily replace
for powder, coolant, shielding gas, and laser optics in a only a portion of the head after an accident, together with
compact format), a motion was made to abandon the the optional redundancy of having additional/spare heads
docking approach and instead settle for mounting the in the tool changer exposes the user to lower financial and
cladding head to the side of the spindle (similar to the downtime risks. This effort has resulted in the first
approach in Figure 4). After a passionate discussion, the commercially available tool changeable laser cladding head
motion did not carry and a working docking solution was as shown in Figure 7.
developed which indeed enabled automated change over
from milling to cladding. An image of the pre-production
dock supplying a pre-production head during cladding for
a dimensional restoration application is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 7: The world’s first commercially available tool changeable

laser cladding head

Another increased measure of system robustness was

achieved by storing the head outside the working volume
of the machine. Most importantly, the CNC is not
restricted from cutting with coolant, as is/has been the
Figure 6: Cladding of a steam turbine blade with the pre-production
cladding head and dock as demonstrated at EMO 2013
case in some alternative approaches. Storage of processing
heads in the tool changer helps avoid contamination by
chips, coolant, etc. Normally no modification to the tool
4.7 Cladding Head Robustness changer is required; however in certain changers, storage
With an operating docking system came the ability to orientations make modifications to the tool pockets or
store the head in the tool changer; however this imposed head covers/flaps desirable to provide added protection.
high acceleration forces on the head which needs precise
alignment to function. This requirement was compounded 5 The Impact so Far
with the need to survive the harsh conditions inside the Although this research began as an academic
working volume of a machine tool including high cutting endeavor (and will doubtless continue to be an ideal
forces, heat, chips, coolant, and a high probability that platform for research), the underlying aim was to
ultimately it will get crashed into the work piece or its encourage the full engagement of the CNC community
fixturing. A review of all known cladding heads indicated with AM.
that they were too fragile to survive routine use in this
environment, and that the nature of some of the optical In late 2012, a number of machine tool builders saw
components would be difficult to make more robust. the first working prototype hybrid system (see Table 1).

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 5

Hamuel GmbH (Meeder, Germany), a specialist CNC For example consider the expanded capability of the
builder for turbine blades, asked it if would be possible to current laser-based hybrid system currently in
collaborate and show this technology at the EMO 2013 development as illustrated in Figure 8.
Exhibition in Hannover, Germany (the largest CNC show
in Europe). Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies agreed
and provided a pre-production cladding system which was
collaboratively integrated into an HSTM 1000 machine.
The work including demonstration of adaptive repair
(Figure 6) and was undertaken in collaboration with
Delcam plc (Birmingham, UK) and the Manufacturing
Technology Centre (Coventry, UK). The hybrid solution
was awarded first place for product innovation (multi-
functional machine category) by industry magazine MM
Maschinenmarkt. The award and attention it received
inspired subsequent activity including a quick reaction by A B C D
DMG (which created a hybrid system demonstration for
Euromold 2013) and subsequently an America Makes
award to Optomec to develop a machine tool mountable Figure 8: Four different laser-based processing heads are shown each
“LENS engine” derived from their line of dedicated with a different laser profile optimized for A) fine cladding B) high
machine solutions, which was announced at the beginning rate cladding C) laser hole drilling and D) divergent focus for area
pre-heating, annealing, or heat treatment
of 2014.

The author asserts that reason for the large scale The use of a tool changer allows convenient
impact of hybrid approaches in a short time is because a) changeover of a variety of laser processing heads – each
of the large asymmetry in the respective market sizes of with optimized optics, powder focus, and shielding gas for
AM and CNC; b) it potentially makes AM relevant to a specific task. Using a selection of different heads opens
almost anyone who has access to a CNC machine; and up a wider range of effective operations than is typically
c) it taps a mostly latent but intense desire of many achieved using a single processing head (even of the most
machinists to do AM in some form (and perhaps receive a modern sophistication). Figure 8 shows some examples of
proportion of the attention given to AM of late). the range of heads including: A) a conventional co-axial
laser cladding head; B) laser cladding head with optics for
6 The Tool Changer as an Automation top-hat power distribution and focus for a high power
Solution multi-mode laser; C) A laser cutting head with optimized
profile and high pressure/velocity inert assist gas; D) A
This innovation not only bridges between the AM parallel or divergent focus head used for cleaning
and CNC worlds, but it opens up the possibility of a new (including for removal of coolant residue), preheating,
wave of innovation based on the same methodology. The annealing, heat treatment, etc. Using this set of heads, it is
foundational innovation enabling practical use of directed easy to see the dimension restoration of a turbine blade at
energy deposition AM is the combination of cable the fastest possible repair rate where any holes covered
management with re-packaging of deposition technology over during cladding can be re-opened by laser drilling in
so that it can be transported and deployed easily (in this the same setup.
case mounted onto the highly accurate, yet relatively
inexpensive standard tool holders). The combination of This is an example of how hybridizing increases the
these to relatively simple innovations comprises the new flexibility of current tools. Combining laser processing
hybrid methodology which is to use the tool changer (without with in-machine inspection then builds another layer of
modification) as an automation system. This eliminates in-process quality assurance in a system which can actually
the cost and complication normally associated with part correct problems arising (by detection, removal and re-
transfer between technologies done up until now by addition of material) before parts simply become very
human operators, robots, or other automation solutions. expensive scrap.
There is no inherent limitation to the types of
technologies which can now be mixed and deployed
including multiple additive, subtractive and inspection
technologies.

© 2014, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Ltd 6

7 The Near-Future: Dissimilar Multi-material 9 Acknowledgements
Parts Through Multiple Technologies This work has been built upon foundational research
Significant and continued advances in processing undertaken during the RECLAIM collaborative research
speed (productivity) achieved through materials project [8] which was partially funded by the UK
engineering/process optimization will progressively Technology Strategy Board (Project No: TP11/
reduce the dilemma discussed in 1.1 which leads to HVM/6/I/AB194F) and completed in May 2012.
discussion of the next frontier for AM. Subsequent development work in preparation for
commercialization has been undertaken primarily by
For many, the “holy grail” of AM is to be able to Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies and the author
combine dissimilar materials into multi-material parts with wishes to specifically acknowledge the contribution of
fully optimized topology and composition [27]. Peter Coates. Further support has also been given by the
UK’s Manufacturing Technology Centre, Hamuel GmbH,
Doubtless the advances in material engineering and and Delcam plc.
processing will continue to widen the material-set
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