Laser cladding assisted by induction heating of Ni-WC composite enhanced by nano-WC and La2O3

Laser cladding of Ni-WC composites with a high weight fraction of WC results in certain issues, such as cracking susceptibility, non-homogeneity, and WC particle dissolution. In this study, laser cladding of Ni-60%WC using a high-power direct diode laser with and without induction heating was investigated. In addition, the effects of synthesizing a nano-WC powder and rare-earth element (RE) on the quality of Ni-WC coatings were investigated. The effects of utilizing the induction heater on the molten pool evolution were monitored using a pyrometer and an infrared camera. It was observed that laser cladding assisted with an induction heater yielded smooth and homogeneous composite coatings without cracks or porosity. The thermally captured images revealed that the evolution of the molten pool in laser cladding assisted with induction heating was uniform and smooth. The addition of nano-WC particles and La2O3 enhanced the coating homogeneity, microstructure refinement, and coating microhardness correspondingly.