This paper presents the research and development of a hybrid rapid manufacturing process being developed at the University of Missouri-Rolla. This process includes a laser deposition and a 5axis CNC milling system. By combining laser deposition and machining processes, the resulting hybrid process can provide greater build capability and better accuracy and surface finish. The hybrid process ca...

During collective construction tasks, swarm robots coordinate their actions in space and time to build structures that conform to some given design or specification. In this paper, a simulation model and a mathematical model (based on a Markov chain) are introduced to describe the deposition process of a previously detailed robotic swarm system that uses templates and feedback to facilitate con...

The Field emitter display (FED) is a very promising type of flat panel display. It possesses the potential to combine the performance of the Cathode Ray Tube with the compactness of the Liquid Crystal Display, while offering the additional advantage of low power consumption. The performance and reliability of the FED depend strongly upon the geometry of the deposited emitter cones. The formatio...

Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) refers to a class of rapid manufacturing process that builds parts by incremental material deposition and fusion of thin 2-1/2 dimensional layers. Over this past decade, SFF has taken the manufacturing industry to new heights. However, parts produced by SFF processes exhibit a stair-step surface texture due to the presence of 2-1/2 dimensional layers and exhibit...