Residual stresses in Al7075 alloy plate laser clad with Al-12Si alloy powder Available to Purchase

Laser cladding of Al7075-T651 alloy rolled plates was performed at IRIS using a side injection powder nozzle, an Al-12Si alloy powder and a high power Nd:YAG laser. A single layer of clad alloy was deposited inside a groove machined along the plates’ rolling direction. The cladding direction was either parallel or transverse to the length of the groove, while the laser parameters (laser power, scan rate, powder mass flow rate, track increment) and size of the treated area were kept constant. Temperature measurements at the back face of the plates showed that the plates’ thermal histories differed significantly with the cladding direction. Residual stresses were measured in the clad and through the thickness of the plate using neutron diffraction scattering at ANSTO. Results are presented showing the effects of the laser cladding pattern on the energy input and the residual stress profiles in the plates.