Laser Surface Engineering of Metallic Components

Abstract

The engineering solution to improve the surface dependent properties like wear, corrosion and oxidation resistance involves tailoring the surface composition and/or micro-structure of the near-surface region of a component without affecting the bulk. This may be achieved, using a high power laser beam as a source of heat, by surface hardening, melting, alloying and cladding. Fast heat-ing /cooling rate (104-1011 K/s), very high thermal grad-ient(106-108 K/m)and ultra-rapid resolidification veloc-ity (1-30 m/s) are the characteristics of this process which often develop exotic microstructures and composit-ions having large extension of solid solubility and meta-stable or even amorphous phases in the surface. This paper gives a brief review of the present status and future scope of laser assisted surface engineering with parti-cular reference to the authors' work.