State-of-the-art review on the Ultrasonic Vibration Assisted Laser Cladding (UVALC)

Abstract

Laser Cladding (LC) uses laser power as a heat source to quickly melt the material, and further rapid solidification results in the homogenized high-quality coating on the substrate. However, there are limitations to the laser cladding's ability to improve the coating's surface quality and crystal particle distribution. The process parameters can only be optimized to a limited degree, and preheating and post-heating treatments may not eliminate the coating's internal defects. Therefore, alternative approaches must be investigated to address these obstacles and enhance the coating's properties. Ultrasonic vibration is the possible choice to enhance the quality of laser cladding coatings. Ultrasonic waves propagating through molten metal pools produce ultrasonic cavitation, thermal, and acoustic streaming effects due to their interaction with the medium. The ultrasonic cavitation effect causes the formation and disintegration of cavitation bubbles in molten metal, producing micro-jets with high temperature, high pressure, and high velocity. This leads to the refining of grains, and the dissolution of crystallized grains results in higher mechanical and tribological properties. Mechanical and tribological properties, particularly microhardness and friction wear, play a crucial role in the application of these materials. The current state of the art will focus on the effects of ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser cladding on mechanical and tribological properties ranging from metals to ceramics to amorphous and high entropy alloys. Based on the review, a checklist that is tailored to the conditions of the comprehensive literature study has been developed-.