Surface hardening of Fe-based alloy powders by Nd:YAG laser cladding followed by electrospark deposition with WC-Co cemented carbide

This paper presents the results of a study concerned with the surface hardening of Fe-based alloys and WC-8Co cemented carbide by inte- grating laser cladding and the electrospark deposition processes. Specimens of low carbon steel were processed firstly by laser cladding with Fe-based alloy powders and then by electrospark deposition with WC-SCo cemented carbide. It is shown that, for these two treatments, the electrospark coating possesses finer microstructure than the laser coating, and the thickness and surface hardness of the electrospark coating can be substantially increased.

Plasma Arc Surface Hardening Robot Technology

In national economy and national defense, a lot of ma chine components become worthless early because of wear and tear and corrode. It leads to huge loss of resource and material. Surface hardening of the steel cou ld form a hard, wearable, corrode-resisting layer on the surface to enhance the mechanical property of the machine component. From 1980s, there is a new method of surface hardening that is heating with plasma arc. It overcomes the shortage of old methods and is adopted in automotive product industry. The plasma equipm ent is small and easy to be controlled, so it could be installed on a robot and moved everywhere. This paper analyzed the character of the plasma at first, then studied the plasm a arc as Guess distribution circular heat source to create the surface hardening temperature field and heating process. The method of the plasma arc surface har dening technology is given. This paper describes hardware design of the plasma arc surface-hardening robot and analyzes its kinematics. This robot is a humanoid form robot with a mobile p latform, a 7 DOF redundancy arm and a 2 DOF trunk. The footprint is an important feature for the robot that has to move in a cluttered environment. Thus the mob ile platform of the plasma arc robot is an omni-directional mobile robot with o rthogonal-wheel assemblies. The trunk is important for keep balance of the robo t. Thus a series spring is fixed in the trunk to provide accurate force feedback at each direction and insulate the shock loads from arm and mobile platform. Th e redundancy arm configuration is similar to a broadly simplified model of the h uman arm with 7 DOF. The maximum radius is about 1 m with a maximum load of abou t 1 kg. The redundancy of the 7 DOF allows the handling of situation in whic h additional movement constraints have to meet and avoids static or dynamic obst acles. It has better adaptation to typical human environment and to allow for hu man-like behavioral strategies in solving complex tasks. This robot will be applied widely in shipbuilding industry, mining industry and automotive product industry.

INFLUENCE OF SURFACE HARDENING ON CONTACT FATIGUE LIFE OF NODULAR CAST IRON

The influence of laser surface melting and induction hardening on the surface structure,con- tact fatigue life and failure behaviour of the nodular cast iron has been investigated.The con- tact fatigue life can be improved by both laser treatment and induction hardening,but the fail- ure process and type are different from each other.The former is due to lumpy and deep spal- ling caused by crack propagation between the quenching zone and the substrate,and the latter is due to nubby and surface flaking caused by the oil wedged action into surface cracks.

Study on improving properties of welded joints of 400 MPa ultra fine grained steel by mechanical surface hardening

The welded joints of 400 MPa ultra fine grained steel in manual arc welding were treated by mechanical surface hardening. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the treated joints were compared with those of the untreated joints, based on which, primary study on the process and principle of mechanical surface hardening was carried out. The results shows that： Grain size of HAZ increases greatly and mechanical properties of welded joint decrease obviously compared with those of base martial, but grain size in the surface layer of HAZ can be refined （the grain size is about 100 nm or so） and mechanical properties of welded joints can be improved greatly by mechanical surface hardening.

Numerical Investigation of Laser Surface Hardening of AISI 4340 Using 3D FEM Model for Thermal Analysis of Different Laser Scanning Patterns

Laser surface hardening is becoming one of the most successful heat treatment processes for improving wear and fatigue properties of steel parts. In this process, the heating system parameters and the material properties have important effects on the achieved hardened surface characteristics. The control of these variables using predictive modeling strategies leads to the desired surface properties without following the fastidious trial and error method. However, when the dimensions of the surface to be treated are larger than the cross section of the laser beam, various laser scanning patterns can be used. Due to their effects on the hardened surface properties, the attributes of the selected scanning patterns become significant variables in the process. This paper presents numerical and experimental investigations of four scanning patterns for laser surface hardening of AISI 4340 steel. The investigations are based on exhaustive modelling and simulation efforts carried out using a 3D finite element thermal analysis and structured experimental study according to Taguchi method. The temperature distribution and the hardness profile attributes are used to evaluate the effects of heating parameters and patterns design parameters on the hardened surface characteristics. This is very useful for integrating the scanning patterns’ features in an efficient predictive modeling approach. A structured experimental design combined to improved statistical analysis tools is used to assess the 3D model performance. The experiments are performed on a 3 kW Nd:Yag laser system. The modeling results exhibit a great agreement between the predicted and measured values for the hardened surface characteristics. The model evaluation reveals also its ability to provide not only accurate and robust predictions of the temperature distribution and the hardness profile as well an in-depth analysis of the effects of the process parameters.

Single Track Laser Surface Hardening Model for AISI 4340 Steel Using the Finite Element Method

Laser surface hardening becomes one of the most effective techniques used to enhance wear and fatigue resistance of mechanical parts. The characteristics of the hardened surface depend on the physicochemical properties of the material as well as the heating system parameters. To adequately exploit the benefits presented by the laser heating method, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy to control the process parameters in order to produce desired hardened surface attributes without being forced to use the traditional and fastidious trial and error procedures. This study presents a comprehensive approach used to build a simplified model for predicting the hardness profile. A finite element method based prediction model for AISI 4340 steel is investigated. A circular shape with a Gaussian distribution is used for modeling the laser heat source. COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS software is used to solve the heat transfer equations, estimate the temperature distribution in the part and consequently predict the hardness profile. A commercial 3 kW Nd:Yag laser system is combined to a structured experimental design and confirmed statistical analysis tools for conducting the experimental calibration and validation of the model. The results reveal that the model can effectively lead to a consistent and accurate prediction of the hardness profile characteristics under variable hardening parameters and conditions. The results show great concordance between predicted and measured values for the dimensions of hardened and melted zones.

VIRTUAL PROCESSING OF LASER SURFACE HARDENING ON AUTOBODY DIES

A new method of collision-free path plan integrated in virtual processing is developed to improve the efficiency of laser surface hardening on dies. The path plan is based on the premise of no collision and the optimization object is the shortest path. The optimization model of collision-free path is built from traveling salesman problem （TSP）. Collision-free path between two machining points is calculated in configuration space （C-Space）. Ant colony optimization （ACO） algorithm is applied to TSP of all the machining points to find the shortest path, which is simulated in virtual environment set up by IGRIP software. Virtual machining time, no-collision report, etc, are put out atter the simulation. An example on autobody die is processed in the virtual platform, the simulation results display that ACO has perfect optimization effect, and the method of virtual processing with integration of collision-free optimal path is practical.

Hardening mechanism and thermal-solid coupling model of laminar plasma surface hardening of 65 Mn steel

In the present work,the laminar plasma surface hardening method is employed to enhance the service life of metal components fabricated from 65 Mn steel.The mechanical and wear behaviors of the laminar plasma surface hardened 65 Mn steel were analyzed.The martensite transition transformation of the temperature of the laminar plasma-hardened 65 ferrite Mn steel was determined by a thermal-solid coupling model.Based on the orthogonal experimental results,the optimal hardening parameters were confirmed.The scanning velocity,quenching distance and arc current are 130 mm/min,50 mm and 120 A,respectively.The pearlites and ferrites are transformed into martensites in the hardened zone,while the ratio of martensite in the heataffected zone decreases with the increase in the hardening depth.Compared to the untreated 65Mn steel,the average hardness increases from 220 HV_(0.2)to 920 HV_(0.2)in the hardened zone and the corresponding absorbed power increases from 118.7 J to 175.5 J.At the same time,the average coefficient of friction(COF)decreases from 0.763 to 0.546,and the wear rate decreases from 5.39×10^(-6)mm^(3)/(N·m)to 2.95×10^(-6)mm^(3)/(N·m),indicating that the wear resistance of 65Mn steel could be significantly improved by using laminar surface hardening.With the same hardening parameters,the depth and width of the hardened zone predicted by the thermal-solid coupling model are 1.85 mm and 11.20 mm,respectively,which are in accordance with the experimental results;depth is 1.83 mm and width is 11.15 mm.In addition,the predicted hardness distributions of the simulation model are in accordance with the experimental results.These results indicate that the simulation model could effectively predict the microstructure characteristics of 65 Mn steel.

Size Effect of Impact Abrasive Particles on Wear and Surface Hardening Behavior of High‑Manganese Steel

The size effect of impact abrasive particles on wear and surface hardening behavior of high-manganese steel was studied.Impact wear tests were carried out on MLD-10 tester with abrasive particle sizes of 6.0–0.75 mm,respectively.The results showed that the impact wear behavior and surface hardening mechanism of high-manganese steel were affected by the size of abrasive particles.A critical size of abrasive particle might exhibit to distinguish the impact wear behavior.When the abrasive particle size was larger than 0.75 mm,the wear mass loss generally showed a decreasing trend with the decrease of the abrasive particle size.Dislocation strengthening and mechanical twinning contributed to the good work hardening behavior.However,effective surface hardening layer could not be formed for sample tested with particle size of 0.75 mm and the wear mass loss was the highest among all the conditions.The weak hardening effect led to the sharp increase of the wear mass loss.Press-in abrasives could be observed on the wear surface when the abrasive particle size was larger than 0.75 mm.The press-in abrasives were peeled off from the wear surface and broken,leaving deep grooves and peeling pits.Material exchange with the sample would occur with the flow of abrasives.A large area of furrow was formed on the wear surface.For particle size of 0.75 mm,aggregated abrasives formed a dynamic buffer layer on the surface and the stress distribution was more even.The formation of buffer layer would lower the effect of the impact load and the work hardening effect could not be fully activated.The mutual extrusion among the abrasives,friction wheel and sample caused plastic deformation of the worn surface during impact test.The present study would help guiding to select the application field of high-manganese steel more precisely.

Single-row laser beam with energy strengthened ends for continuous scanning laser surface hardening of large metal components

For laser surface hardening of metal components with large superficies,a binary grating is proposed to generate single-row laser beam with proportional-intensity diffractive orders.To obtain a uniform hardened band distribution and improve the wear resistance of the sample surface,the binary grating is designed to produce single-row laser beam with energy strengthened at the two ends.The profile of the laser beam spot was designed to be strip with high length-width ratio to improve the machining efficiency of the hardening of large surfaces.A new advantage is suggested to obtain proportional intensity spots with evenness.The design results show that the diffractive efficiency of the binary grating is more than 70%,and the uniformity is less than 3%.The surface profile of the grating fabricated was measured,which shows that the fabrication error is less than 2%.The application of the binary grating in the laser surface hardening of metal components with large superficies is experimentally investigated,and the results show that the hardness distribution of the modified layer is more uniform than that hardened by Gaussian laser beam or array spots with equal intensity distribution.

Quasi-Dammann grating with proportional intensity of array spots for surface hardening of metal

For surface hardening of metal,a quasi-Dammann grating (QDG) is proposed and fabricated to generate array spots with proportional-intensity distribution.To get uniformly hardened band distribution and improve the wear resistance of the sample surface,a three-order QDG is designed to produce array spots with enhanced intensity in the edge.The design and fabrication of the QDG are described in detail.The surface profile of the fabricated grating was measured,which shows that the fabrication error is less than 2%.The laser beam intensity distribution shaped by the QDG was tested by a laser beam analyzer to verify the validity of the QDG.The application of the QDG in the laser surface hardening of metal was experimentally investigated,and the results show that the hardness distribution of the modified layer and the wear resistance of the sample surface are improved significantly by using the QDG.

Improved shape hardening function for bounding surface model for cohesive soils

A shape hardening function is developed that improves the predictive capabilities of the generalized bounding surface model for cohesive soils, especially when applied to overconsolidated specimens. This improvement is realized without any changes to the simple elliptical shape of the bounding surface, and actually reduces the number of parameters associated with the model by one.

Analysis of Laser Surface Hardened Layers of Automobile Engine Cylinder Liner

Gray cast iron that is used for automobile engine cylinder liners was laser surface hardened using Nd ： YAG quasi-continuous and CO2 continuous wave laser, respectively. The macromorphology and microstructure of the laser surface hardened layers were investigated using an optical microscope. Geometric dimensions including depth and width and microhardness distribution of the hardened layers were also examined in order to evaluate the quality of the hardened layers.

Research into Grinding Hardening of Microalloyed Non-quenched and Tempered Steel

Grinding hardening is a new technology of hardening steel piece surfaces with grinding heat generated in the grinding process instead of with a high or medium frequency induction heating method,which can effectively integrate grinding and surface hardening. Experimental studies were carried out on grinding hardening of non-quenched and tempered steel. Through grinding experiments with variable depths of cut and feeding rate,the variation in the depth of the hardening layer was studied and the microstructure of the hardening zone of the test pieces was subsequently ana-lyzed. In the end,the hardening effect of non-quenched and tempered steel was compared with that of 40Cr steel,which revealed the superiority of non-quenched and tempered steel in grinding hardening technology.

External grind-hardening experiments and its grinding force

The grind-hardening method suitable for external grinding is proposed in this paper and the experiments are carried out on M1432B grinding machine. The hardened layer of the workpiece with cut depth 0.3 mm and speed 0.2 m/min is analyzed. The result indicates the metallurgical structure of the hardened layer is martensite and the top hardness value is 754 HV （about 62.3 HRC）. At the same time, the grinding force, one of the most important factors of external grind-hardening process is modeled, and the measurement method is provided with elastic core clampers. The measurement result shows that the values of both the tangential force and the normal force increase when the cut depth increases, and the top value is 146 N and 656 N with the cut depth value of 0.4 mm. The increment speed and the value of the normal force are larger than the tangential force.

A Predictive Modeling Based on Regression and Artificial Neural Network Analysis of Laser Transformation Hardening for Cylindrical Steel Workpieces

Laser surface hardening is a very promising hardening process for ferrous alloys where transformations occur during cooling after laser heating in the solid state. The characteristics of the hardened surface depend on the physicochemical properties of the material as well as the heating system parameters. To exploit the benefits presented by the laser hardening process, it is necessary to develop an integrated strategy to control the process parameters in order to produce desired hardened surface attributes without being forced to use the traditional and fastidious trial and error procedures. This study presents a comprehensive modelling approach for predicting the hardened surface physical and geometrical attributes. The laser surface transformation hardening of cylindrical AISI 4340 steel workpieces is modeled using the conventional regression equation method as well as artificial neural network method. The process parameters included in the study are laser power, beam scanning speed, and the workpiece rotational speed. The upper and the lower limits for each parameter are chosen considering the start of the transformation hardening and the maximum hardened zone without surface melting. The resulting models are able to predict the depths representing the maximum hardness zone, the hardness drop zone, and the overheated zone without martensite transformation. Because of its ability to model highly nonlinear problems, the ANN based model presents the best modelling results and can predict the hardness profile with good accuracy.

Secondary Hardening, Austenite Grain Coarsening and Surface Decarburization Phenomenon in Nb-Bearing Spring Steel

The secondary hardening, the austenite grain coarsening and the surface decarburization phenomenon of Nb-bearing spring steel were investigated, and the effects of niobium on tempered microstructure was studied using scanning electron microscope. The results show that the micro-addition of niobium increases the tempering resistance and produces secondary hardening. The effect of niobium on the size and distribution of cementite particles is one of the primary reasons to increase the hardness after tempering. The grain-coarsening temperature of the spring steel is raised 150 ~C due to Nb-addition. Furthermore, both the secondary hardening and the austenite grain coarsening phenomenon congruously demonstrate niobium begins observably dissolving above 1 100 ℃ in the spring steel. Be- sides, niobium microalloying is an effective and economy means to decrease the decarburization sensitivity of the spring steels.

Hardness Profile Prediction for a 4340 Steel Spline Shaft Heat Treated by Laser Using a 3D Modeling and Experimental Validation

Laser surface transformation hardening becomes one of the most effective processes used to improve wear and fatigue resistance of mechanical parts. In this process, the material physicochemical properties and the heating system parameters have significant effects on the characteristics of the hardened surface. To appropriately exploit the benefits presented by the laser surface hardening, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy to control the process variables in order to produce desired hardened surface attributes without being forced to use the traditional and fastidious trial and error procedures. The paper presents a study of hardness profile predictive modeling and experimental validation for spline shafts using a 3D model. The proposed approach is based on thermal and metallurgical simulations, experimental investigations and statistical analysis to build the prediction model. The simulation of the hardening process is carried out using 3D finite element model on commercial software. The model is used to estimate the temperature distribution and the hardness profile attributes for various hardening parameters, such as laser power, shaft rotation speed and scanning speed. The experimental calibration and validation of the model are performed on a 3 kW Nd:Yag laser system using a structured experimental design and confirmed statistical analysis tools. The results reveal that the model can provide not only a consistent and accurate prediction of temperature distribution and hardness profile characteristics under variable hardening parameters and conditions but also a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of process parameters effects. The modelling results show a great concordance between predicted and measured values for the dimensions of hardened zones.

Parameters Optimization of Plasma Hardening Process Using Genetic Algorithm and Neural Network

Plasma surface hardening process was performed to improve the performance of the AISI 1045 carbon steel.Experiments were carried out to characterize the hardening qualities.A predicting and optimizing model using genetic algorithm-back propagation neural network（GA-BP） was developed based on the experimental results.The non-linear relationship between properties of hardening layers and process parameters was established.The results show that the GA-BP predicting model is reliable since prediction results are in rather good agreement with measured results.The optimal properties of the hardened layer were deduced from GA.And through multi optimizations,the optimum comprehensive performances of the hardened layer were as follows：plasma arc current is 90 A,hardening speed is 2.2 m/min,plasma gas flow rate is 6.0 L/min and hardening distance is 4.3 mm.It concludes that GA-BP mode developed in this study provides a promising method for plasma hardening parameters prediction and optimization.

Analyse of Warm Surface Rolling on the Grooved Steel Axle

Warm surface rolling is a working process between room temperature and re-crystallization temperature.With warm surface rolling of steel grade 45 grooved axle,its fatigue lifespan was measured by the endurance bending test.The influence of surface rolling reduction on the axle fatigue life period was experimentally studied at different surface rolling temperatures.The experimental results show that the fatigue life of the steel axles can be significantly improved by the warm surface rolling process.The optimum rolling reductions for the maximum fatigue life at different warm surface rolling temperatures were explored.The microstructures of the steel axles were analyzed.The surface strength improved by refining grains after the warm surface rolling was calculated by the Hall-Petch model.These research achievements could be also valuable to the relevant works.