Remanufacture of turbine blades by laser cladding, machining and in-process scanning in a single machine

Remanufacturing is one of the most efficient ways of recycling worn parts because it consumes only a fraction of the energy, cost, and material required for new parts. Remanufacture of engineering components typically entails serial labor intensive and operator skill sensitive processes, often requiring parts to move between manufacturers and subcontractors. Unfortunately the logistics and quality assurance measures required for effective remanufacturing currently restrict its implementation primarily to high value components (e.g. turbine blades, blisks, etc.). This research reports progress toward an integrated production system which combines laser cladding, machining and in-process scanning in a single machine for flexible and lean remanufacturing.