Path Planning for Laser Cladding Robot on Artificial Joint Surface Based on Topology Reconstruction

Abstract

Artificial joint surface coating is a hot issue in the interdisciplinary fields of manufacturing, materials and biomedicine. Due to the complex surface characteristics of artificial joints, there are some problems with efficiency and precision in automatic cladding path planning for coating fabrication. In this study, a path planning method for a laser cladding robot for artificial joints surface was proposed. The key of this method was the topological reconstruction of the artificial joint surface. On the basis of the topological relation, a set of parallel planes were used to intersect the CAD model to generate a set of continuous, directed and equidistant surface transversals on the artificial joint surface. The arch height error method was used to extract robot interpolation points from surface transversal lines according to machining accuracy requirements. The coordinates and normal vectors of interpolation points were used to calculate the position and pose of the robot tool center point (TCP). To ensure that the laser beam was always perpendicular to the artificial joint surface, a novel laser cladding set-up with a robot was designed, of which the joint part clamped by a six-axis robot moved while the laser head was fixed on the workbench. The proposed methodology was validated with the planned path on the surface of an artificial acetabular cup using simulation and experimentation via an industrial NACHI robot. The results indicated that the path planning method based on topological reconstruction was feasible and more efficient than the traditional robot teaching method.