Robotic fettling and automated path acquisition

Abstract

Fettling is the process of removing excess material from castings. This excess material is often formed at the die’s parting lines during the casting process as molten material is injected into the die at high pressure. By using a robot as a positioning tool for the fettling operation, the process can be carried out safely and with consistent results. This paper proposes a computer‐assisted robotic fettling technique using visual feedback. In particular, emphasis is placed on the establishment of a technique and investigating its performance for the determination of the casting profile. Also examines the process parameters associated with high‐speed fettling operations. Further, the experimental set‐up employed and the results obtained are also presented.