Laser Cladding Fundamentals

(Excerpts from LASER CLADDING: A Layman’s Guide)

Cladding is the association of layers of metals of different natures by molecular interpenetration of the surfaces in contact.  Limited diffusion of the surface material is a characteristic of clad products and differentiates them from products metalized in other manners, such as normal electroplating.  Large scale cladding processes include pouring molten cladding metal onto a basic metal followed by rolling or simple hot-rolling of the cladding metal to ensure efficient welding to the basic metal.  Smaller-scale cladding methods include superimposing the cladding material (nickel, chromium, etc.) by a thermal process to ensure welding.  In these methods the cladding metal is applied to the basic metal by heat treatment at the appropriate temperature.

 

Cladding is a highly flexible technique for developing a tough corrosion and erosion resistant surface to metal surfaces.  Laser cladding is simply a finely-tuned technology for heating the cladding and substrate materials to the proper temperature.  It involves depositing a hard material, usually in the form of powder, onto a surface to enhance the wear and corrosion resistance of the substrate material.  The process is actually fairly simple:  A laser beam melts a very thin layer of the work piece, some cladding alloy is added to the melt pool, and this surface freezes to the work piece with a metallurgical bond.  The resulting thin surface has all the desirable properties of a wear coating without significant changes to the substrate material.  The result is a highly effective and economic hardened surface that can extend the life of the component.

 

Laser cladding offers one of the most cost effective ways of developing a wear- or corrosion-resistant surface layer to components in repair and life-extending maintenance.  It is used to build up worn surfaces, repairing components, and to produce low volume parts.

To obtain a FREE copy of our more extensive, informative article “LASER CLADDING: A Layman’s Guide, please call our office staff at 260-635-2195 or email info@bmrgroup.net.

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