The effects of rapid cooling on the improved properties of laser deposited metallic coatings

The deterioration of materials during industrial application poses a serious threat to the materials’ structural integrity. The natural world does not provide the materials that can function in increasingly extreme and aggressive conditions as stipulated by today’s technological advancement. A material’s susceptibility to wear and surface damage can be reduced by alteration of its surface chemistry, morphology and crystal structure. Therefore, modification of surface properties plays an important role in optimizing a material’s performance for a given application. Modern industrial applications require materials with special surface properties such as high hardness, wear and corrosion resistance, and therefore materials engineers are vital to regularly examine how the microstructure of a material can be altered. The purpose of this is to change or enhance inherent properties of the materials to create new products or improve on existing ones. The most effective and economical engineering solution to prevent or minimize such surface region of a component is done by fibre lasers.