Normalized hardness prediction of L-DED metal matrix composite coatings for wear-resistant applications

Abstract

In the present work, a Finite Element (FE) model is developed to predict the normalized hardness of Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) coatings manufactured by laser Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED).L-DED has gained significant attention lately, both in industry and research. This technology is primarily focused on repair and coating applications. In conjunction with its tight control over the energy input, which renders L-DED technology highly suitable for coating applications, the multi-material deposition capability has unlocked the development of high-performance coatings. Analytical solutions have been developed in the past, where a broad spectrum of values is defined. However, the precise determination of their hardness still poses a challenge.To that end, a FE Model has been developed to predict the hardness of particulate reinforced composites, which is compared with both analytical solutions in the literature and experimental results. The simulated results agree well with experimental results, with an error of less than 5%. Hence, the suitability of FE modelling for the estimation of the normalized hardness of MMCs is proven.