Selection of parameters of laser heating of carbon steels for obtaining the specified hardening depth

Abstract

1. The applicability of the unidimensional model of heating a homogeneous semi infinite body for selecting the parameters of laser hardening without fusion of the surface of carbon steels with different carbon content was experimentally confirmed. 2. Upon transition from the regime of heating with fusion of the surface to the regime of heating without fusion, the shape of the laser track changes. 3. The distribution of microhardness across the thickness of the zone of laser hardening is not the same in steels with different carbon content: with 0.2% C the microhardness of steel decreases monotonically, with 0.8% C it decreases stepwise. Such a change of the microhardness profile upon change of carbon content may be connected with the different path length of carbon diffusion in steels with different amounts of hypoeutectic ferrite.