Fast Coating Deposition Simulation for Path Planning and Iterative Net-Shape Optimization on Complex Workpieces

For coating increasingly complex geometries that require a high accuracy with respect to a near net-shape coating distribution, the use of computer-aided path planning algorithms is mandatory to minimize the need for expensive prototyping experiments. During the planning process, coating simulations are typically evaluated frequently, thus both fast and accurate simulations greatly enhance the potential to find optimal path solutions.

In this contribution, an efficient approach for computing the coating thickness on complex workpieces is presented, which makes use of the computational capabilities of mainstream graphics hardware to achieve simulation times well within the single-digit range of seconds for average-sized workpieces. Using a semi-automatic, measurement-based calibration routine, this simulation can easily be adapted to different processes. The simulation has been coupled with a path-optimization approach and was successfully utilized to enhance the deposition accuracy in the context of applying wear-resistant coatings to deep-drawing tools by means of a TWAS process.