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Faster laser cladding with metal powder
28 May 2008
Carr’s Welding Technologies has added a powder feeder system to its laser to allow much faster feed rates and metal deposition rates ten times greater than similar wire fed application when joining and building up metal assemblies.
Lasers have long been recognised as universal tool for welding assemblies together; without distortion or damage to the properties of the material being welded. But there were always situations – particularly when joining dissimilar metals or where the laser was not powerful for the depth of the joint – when it was hard to find a cost-effective way of producing a good weld.
Welding 5mm thick stainless steel needs a big laser, maybe up to 2.5K watts says Carr’s, and not many people outside large OEMs or Institutions have this power available. Carr’s solution is to weld with a smaller laser and design the joint for 2mm of straight penetration and follow this up with a second pass with a powder or wire fed filler wire.
So far Carr’s has completed trials on P20 plastic injection mould tools and have good success with edge restoration and repairs. It is now looking forward to trialling a number of enhancing deposits, such as tungsten carbides and nickel-based alloys, which can be fed by powder, where wire is not available. The aim? Harder, tougher and more resistant welds that will lead to longer component life.
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