Heat treatment of high-speed steel with continuous laser

Abstract

1. When preliminarily hardened high speed steel, tempered at 350–560°C, is treated by a continuous CO2-laser with energy density J=34±3 MJ/m2, a strengthened layer with maximal thickness and hardness forms. 2. Accelerated heating by laser beam to temperatures in the range between Ac3 and Tpl and practically instantaneous cooling to normal temperature at rates of more than 104°C/sec give rise to a highly disperse (in melting) and fine-grained structure recrystallized by precipitation hardening (in quenching in the solid state) and consisting of martensite, residual austenite (in increased amount), and carbides (in a small amount). The intense dissolution of ledeburitic carbides type M6C in the laser-hardened zone causes additional alloying of the solid solution, increased stability of the residual austenite, and super-sautration of the finely accular martensite. 3. The decomposition of residual austenite and the intense dispersion hardening in the process of tempering at 560–600°C 1 h increase the hardness of the laser-hardened layer of high speed steel R6M5 by 2–4 HRCe, and resistance to tempering by 40–50°C compared with conventional heat treatment. The absence of coarse carbide particles in the hardened layer reduced the probability of brittle failure by chipping in operation of the cutting tool.