INDUSTRIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF HYBRID MANUFACTURING FOR REPAIR

Abstract

The shift towards circular, sustainable fabrication is becoming an urgent challenge for the manufacturing industry. As relatively new technologies, such as additive and hybrid manufacturing gain more trust of the industry, the repair possibilities also get a new extension. Components deemed as nonreworkable or too expensive to repair with specialized personnel and technology, can be brought back to their original geometries and initial or even enhanced mechanical characteristics, within hours, instead of days, using the hybrid repair approach. The increasing number of research projects developed for various materials and industries, such as aerospace, automotive, tooling, underline its potential to reduce time, cost of repair, and extend the lifetime of components. Even if the results are promising, companies still doubt the reliability of the process, as the technology readiness level is not yet explored for this approach. To respond to the industrial reluctance, this article aims to highlight the latest capabilities and challenges of hybrid repair, followed by the definition of a roadmap of implementation, extended with an industrial case study from the semiconductor equipment industry.