The addition of stainless steel to the surface of standard structural steels using laser technologies allows their resistance to corrosion and oxidation to be increased without sacrificing mechanical properties, even in complex geometries. However, during the application process, the substrate and the coating material melt partially, generating a dilution of the latter that can affect its functionality.
Normally, the dilution effect is counteracted by adding more layers of the coating material until the desired chemical composition is achieved on the surface. However, this “solution” requires more cladding and machining works, while also entailing a greater consumption of materials.
AZTERLAN has developed a novel method that allows the dilution effect to be compensated with a single application layer, with the addition of a metallic powder developed ad-hoc that neutralizes the effects of dilution, allowing the target chemical composition to be achieved in the final coating.
Design of the addition metal powders adjusted to:
- Target chemical composition of the stainless steel of the coating
- Chemical composition of the substrate steel
- Thickness of the target coating
The neutralizing powders, developed ad-hoc based on these characteristics, are mixed with the stainless steel to be jointly clad using laser technologies.
Thanks to the effect of neutralizing powders, it is possible to obtain the anti-corrosion and anti-oxidation coating by adding a single layer of coating.
In this way, the followings are achieved:
- Reducing lead times
- Minimizing final machining work
The single-layer application allows for control of the build-up of material generated. This is especially important for components with complex geometries or tight tolerances.
«Our work is aimed at mastering the physics and the chemistry that govern the behavior of metallic alloys, the phenomena that take place during manufacturing processes and the conditions that affect the useful life of metallic components.
We rethink metallurgy to develop more effective, efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes that favor the manufacture of components with enhanced properties and that open up new fields of application».
