Annular Laser Beam Cladding Process Feasibility Study

In the paper a novel annular - ring shaped - laser beam cladding head and related cladding process are presented. In the cladding head a laser beam is shaped into an annular ring and guided coaxially with the powder tube disposing the powder jet in the centre of the focused annular laser beam ring. An experimental process feasibility analysis was performed using a Nd:YAG pulsed laser system with a maximal average power 250 W. Beside the known influencing parameters of laser cladding process including the powder mass flow, workpiece feeding velocity, and laser beam intensity, the important parameters related to the annular laser beam caustics were defined. The process feasibility and influence of the process parameters on powder catchment efficiency was analysed based on the cladding experiments of SS 316L powder on SS 304 workpiece material. The potential benefits related to the annular laser beam melt pool geometry and related powder catchment efficiency are discussed.