Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology
Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology

What is Laser Cladding?

Laser cladding is a widely used process in industry for coating components. The powdery starting material is fed into the process zone via an inert carrier gas coaxially to the laser beam. The laser melts the powder and the substrate to form a metallurgical compound. The low degree of mixing between the substrate and the powder introduced guarantees the integrity of the desired material properties.

 

Why Laser Cladding?

Thanks to the wide range of powder materials, laser cladding offers a high degree of flexibility when coating components. Regardless of whether it is a new part for initial coating or a used component for reconditioning, the desired coating properties and the required target geometry can be reproducibly produced using this method. A major advantage is that the coating can be applied specifically where it is actually needed. The process, also known as laser metal deposition, also adapts to the individual substrate geometry, as the path planning is specific to the component.

 

Comparison with other processes

Compared to conventional galvanic processes, laser cladding is less energy-intensive and therefore more cost-effective. It is also an environmentally friendly alternative to hard chrome plating, as no toxic chromium (VI) is produced. In contrast to thermal spraying, this process is characterized by a very high powder efficiency. This means that more material actually adheres to the surface, which reduces the consumption of resources and saves material costs.

The protective coatings that can be applied, e.g. against wear and/or corrosion, are of high quality. Among other things, they are characterized by lower porosity, which means that they contain fewer cavities and are therefore more resistant. Furthermore, fewer cracks occur during coating formation and the coating is more homogeneous. In addition, inclusions of foreign bodies or impurities are minimized, which increases the adhesive tensile strength of the coating.


Quality assurance

We are working on the development of clear quality routines along the additive process chain, including laser cladding. Our aim is to create a basis for the certification of additive technologies. We derive measures for optimizing additive production on the basis of continuous data recording and linking this data with the component quality achieved.

With laser cladding, we are able to apply complex coating systems and serve a wide range of materials from steels, nickel-based alloys such as Inconel 625 or 718 and cobalt-based alloys such as Stellite. Regardless of whether it is, for example, a matrix system with tungsten carbide particles or graded coating systems made of different materials – thanks to our precise process control, we can create individual coatings for every application.

We offer you a wide range of services as part of our main focus on repair, modification and new part production. This includes the development and testing of new powder materials as well as the adaptation of component geometry and component properties to the respective specific stress. Component distortion can also be reduced by simulating the process.

Our offer starts with consulting and feasibility studies and includes all further steps up to the implementation of laser metal deposition in existing production chains.

 

© Fraunhofer IPK

Laser Cladding coating of brake discs

To counter the health risks of particulate matter, the EU has for the first time set specific limits for brake dust emissions in the Euro 7 vehicle emission standard. 

 

By meeting all the specifications, brake dust can be reduced by up to 90 per cent.

More info
 

© Fraunhofer IPK

Effective coatings to protect against wear and corrosion

Today's components are subjected to extreme loads. At the same time, service life requirements are constantly increasing. Laser cladding offers the possibility of designing components for demanding operating conditions by applying protective coatings.

More info

© Fraunhofer IPK / Angela Salvo González

Optimization of the build-up strategy when using additives

The aim of our R&D work is to achieve a quality-compliant additive structure with high productivity. In addition to experimental investigations, we are transferring numerical simulation methods from joint welding to additive manufacturing. This enables us to provide our customers with virtual predictions of temperature flow, dimensional accuracy and residual stresses in laser powder cladding.

© Fraunhofer IPK

Quality assurance

We are working to develop clear quality routines along the additive process chain, including laser powder cladding. Our aim is to provide a basis for the certification of additive technologies. We are deriving measures to optimize additive production based on continuous data collection and linking this data to the part quality achieved.

Laser Cladding allows us to apply complex coating systems to a wide range of materials, from steels to nickel-based alloys such as Inconel 625 or 718 to cobalt-based alloys such as Stellite. Whether it is a matrix system of tungsten carbide particles or a graded coating system of different materials, our precise process control allows us to create customized coatings for any application. 

As part of our focus on repair, modification and new part production, we offer a wide range of services. These include the development and testing of new powder materials, as well as adapting component geometry and properties to specific loads. Component distortion can also be reduced through process simulation.