Rapid prototyping by curing polymers with laser light has created considerable interests in industry to generate three dimensional parts directly from Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings to aid design processes. Laser cladding by layers offers the possibility of fabrication of 100% dense metal component. The objective of this research is to develop a Laser Aided Metal Deposition System (LAMDS) capable of forming near 100% dense three-dimensional objects directly from CAD drawing. The project will develop a fundamental understanding between the process parameters for laser aided metal deposition of H13 steel with deposit dimension with 10-100 micron accuracy, microstructure and mechanical properties. The research project has a balance between theory and experiment, and will provide valuable findings for the tools and dies manufacturing industry.
