Cladding process using laser beam radiation comprises different operational regimes, depending on the involved lasers (usually CO2 or Nd:YAG) and materials. Similarly to other beam technologies, the values and the interactions of many input parameters (such as: beam properties, process variables and materials properties) govern the quality of the results.
A series of experiments has been carried out to investigate the Nd:YAG laser cladding using MoSi2 powder. Procedures and operating parameters for producing clad layers has been developed and their properties evaluated.
We have demonstrated the feasibility of the laser cladding technique, using a high power Nd:YAG laser, by projecting MoSi2 powder on steel substrate. The results indicate a low density of cracks, elevated powder catchment efficiency (between 65 and 90 %) and hardness values around 1200-1300 HV.
Our goal consists in crack reduction (see elimination) and to reach that we have considered the addition of components that can create opponent stresses during solidification, like non-stabilized Zirconia powder particles. The results of these experiments are also widely presented in the paper.