Selective laser melting of Fe-Ni-Cr layer on AISI H13 tool steel

An attempt to fabricate Fe-Ni-Cr coating on AISI H13 tool steel was performed with selective laser melting. Fe-Ni-Cr coating was produced by experimental facilities consisting of a 200 W fiber laser which can be focused to 80 μm and atmospheric chamber which can control atmospheric pressure with N2 or Ar. Coating layer was fabricated with various process parameters such as laser power, scan rate and fill spacing. Surface quality and coating thickness were measured and analyzed. Three different surface patterns, such as type I, type II and type III, are shown with various test conditions and smooth regular pattern is obtained under the conditions as 10 μm of fill spacing, 50–350 mm/s of scan rate and 40 μm of fill spacing, 10–150 mm/s of scan rate. The maximum coating thickness is increased with power elevation or scan rate drop, and average thickness of 10 μm fill spacing is lower than that of 40 μm fill spacing.