Multilayer laser powder deposition is being used for the rapid manufacturing of fully dense near net shape components in a wide variety of materials. In this process parts are built by overlapping consecutive layers of a laser melted material. As a result of this overlapping, the material in each layer will undergo successive thermal cycles as new layers are deposited. Despite their short duration, these thermal cycles can activate solid-state transformations that lead to progressive modification of the microstructure and properties of the material. Since the thermal history of the material in the deposited part will differ from point to point, the part will present a complex and heterogeneous microstructure, and properties that differ from point to point. Given that the microstructure and property distribution in steel parts produced by laser powder deposition can only be predicted by modelling, a three-dimensional thermo-kinetic finite element model of laser powder deposition of tool steels was developed, In the present work this model was applied to the study of the influence of substrate size on the microstructure and properties of a six-layer wall of AISI 420 tool steel. The results show that the temperature field depends significantly on the size of the substrate, leading to distinct microstructures and properties in the final part. © 2005 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

Laser processed tool steels present a metastable structure generally containing martensite and an extremely large proportion of retained austenite as compared to conventionally treated steel, which affects considerably the properties of the material. In rapid tooling by laser powder deposition, as consecutive layers of material are deposited to generate a 3D object, the material in previously deposited layers is submitted to successive thermal cycles, which destabilise retained austenite, leading to its transformation to martensite. Also, the martensite present in these layers will progressively decompose by tempering when the material is reheated. As a result, the properties of the material are progressively modified as the object is built-up. The evolution of the microstructure and properties of tool steels during laser freeform manufacturing is extremely difficult to study experimentally, due to the complexity of the transformations involved and the heterogeneity of the material and of the applied thermal field, hence modelling presents clear advantages in the optimization of part build-up strategy. In the present work, a model of the phase transformations resulting from the successive overlap of clad layers based on the coupling of finite element calculations of the time-dependent temperature distribution with transformation kinetics is described. The model was used to predict the evolution of properties and final property distribution in a martensitic stainless steel component produced by laser powder deposition.

A semi-empirical method for selecting the processing parameters of laser cladding is proposed. This phenomenological approach uses simple mathematical formulae, derived from a statistical analysis of measured data, to relate the laser cladding parameters with the geometric features of the clad track. Given the required clad height and available laser beam power, the proposed method allows one to calculate values of the scanning speed and powder feed rate which are used to obtain low dilution, pore free coatings, fusion bonded to the substrate. To illustrate the application of this method, variable powder feed rate laser cladding experiments were carried out with Stellite 6 powder on mild steel substrates. In this technique the laser beam power and radius and the processing speed are kept constant, while the powder feed rate is varied along a single track length according to a specified linear function. The expressions derived from the model were used to plot the experimental data in a coherent manner, revealing the combined role of the different processing parameters.