Adaptive Control of Thermal Processes: Laser Welding and Additive Manufacturing Paradigms

In Laser-based Manufacturing, the configuration of process parameters aims to maintain quality measures within specific boundaries and it is obtained through experimentation. The idea developed and presented in this paper concerns the prediction of the performance of adaptive control policies, based on process modeling. Two examples of Laser-based Manufacturing are deployed in order to verify the response of adaptive control algorithms through empirical design, Laser welding and Laser-based Additive Manufacturing processes. The penetration depth has been utilized as the quality criterion of the adaptive control loop for both processes. The solidification phase has also been examined.