Robotic Conformal Grinding Method for Complex Electron Beam Additive Components

Electron Beam Melting (EBM) technology has gained increasing recognition for its capability to rapidly fabricate metal components with complex internal geometries, thereby garnering significant attention from the aerospace industry. However, the surface quality of components produced through EBM frequently fails to meet the high standards required, necessitating comprehensive finishing processes on both internal and external surfaces to satisfy stringent aerospace specifications. This paper directly utilizes point cloud data from EBM-manufactured components, employing techniques for outlier points removal and point cloud defect completion, to propose a modified sectioning method for planning robotic conformal grinding paths. Experimental investigations were conducted using a mixed robotic machining system on a conical EBM-manufactured titanium alloy component featuring an open inner cavity. The results demonstrate that the robotic conformal grinding method effectively removed the porous outer layer, significantly improving surface quality by reducing the surface roughness from values above Ra 12.5 to below Ra 6.3. Additionally, the method achieved a grinding accuracy of 0.25 mm and increased process efficiency by 56% compared with conventional manual grinding methods. This study provides a viable and efficient solution for the high-quality finishing of complex EBM-manufactured components.