Applications of Laser Cladded WC-Based Wear Resistant Coatings

Laser cladding is an additive process wherein a laser source is used to melt metal-based powder or wire on to a metal substrate. The technique is frequently used to produce wear resistant coatings consisting of a metal matrix and a ceramic strengthening phase. In this study mixtures of nickel based powders and various amounts of tungsten carbides have been used as feedstock for laser cladding on a range of steel substrates and for different applications. Crack-free low porosity coatings with a thickness of about 1 mm and carbide concentrations up to 50 vol% have been produced. The evaluation of the wear resistance of the different coatings is performed on lab scale or in the application itself.