Abstract
This study displays the effect of laser surface hardening parameters on the hardness profile (case depth) of a splined shaft made of AISI 4340 steel. The approach is mainly based on experimental tests wherein the hardness profile of laser hardened splines is acquired using micro-hardness measurements. These results are then evaluated with statistical analysis (ANOVA) to determine the principal effect and the contributions of each parameter in the laser hardening process. Using empirical correlations, the case depth of splined shaft at tip and root of spline’s teeth is also estimated and verified with measured data. The obtained results were then used to study the sensitivity of the measured case depths according to the evolution of laser process parameters and geometrical factors. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed approach lead to a reliable statistical model in which the hardness profile of the spline is estimated with respect to its specific geometry.
Highlights
Laser surface hardening is a heat treatment process that uses a high energy density laser in a localized heating zone [1,2]
Bailey et al [16] carried out tests to optimize the laser hardening processes of industrial parts with complex geometries by developing a predictive model
In this paper, we present a comprehensive set of experimental tests on a complex geometry of a splined shaft and present a statistical approach to evaluate the effect of the laser hardening process and geometrical parameters on the case depth of splines
Summary
Laser surface hardening is a heat treatment process that uses a high energy density laser in a localized heating zone [1,2]. Bailey et al [16] carried out tests to optimize the laser hardening processes of industrial parts with complex geometries by developing a predictive model Their approach can estimate the amount of heat generated during the process and transferred to the surface of a splined shaft. Babu et al [17] carried out experimental studies on the microstructure of low alloy steels wherein the durability after laser hardening is studied Their approach allows optimizing the hardness profile of EN25 steel and obtaining a surface hardness twice as high as the core hardness by varying the laser power and sweeping speed. In this paper, we present a comprehensive set of experimental tests on a complex geometry of a splined shaft and present a statistical approach to evaluate the effect of the laser hardening process and geometrical parameters on the case depth of splines.
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