An experimentally based thermo-kinetic phase transformation model for multi-pass laser heat treatment by using high power direct diode laser

Laser-based phase transformation hardening (LPTH), based on rapid heating and cooling cycles produces hard and wear-resistant layers only at the selective region of the components. However, the bulk mass of the material’s core property is retained. The advantages of high power direct diode laser in comparison with other high power lasers (CO2 and Nd:YAG) have put this type of laser as a main heat source for localized heat treatment. However, a tempered zone is formed in overlapping regions of a large heat-treated area during multi-pass laser heat treatment (MPLHT) that affects the uniformity of heat-treated depth of material. This study is focused on the development of a uniform hardness distribution model to minimize the tempering effect during the MPLHT process. A tool steel AISI S7 is heat treated by using different levels of laser power (1,400–1,800 W) and scanning speeds (15–25 mm/s). An experimentally based finite element (FE) thermal model is developed to predict the cross-sectional as well as surface temperature history of the MPLHT process. The temperature-dependent material properties and phase change kinetics are taken into account in the model. The laser beam is considered as a moving rectangular-shaped heat source (12 mm×1 mm) with a uniform distribution (top-hat) of laser power. The temperature history acquired from the FE thermal model is coupled with thermo-kinetic (TK) equations to determine the corresponding phase transformations and hardness. The tempering effect of MPLHT is studied for different sizes of overlap (1 mm–3 mm) and lengths of scan (10 mm–35 mm). The TK model results are verified with experimental ones to optimize the processing parameters. The optimized processing parameters, including laser power, scanning speed, size of overlap, and the length of scan are used to achieve a uniform hardness distribution and an even depth of heat treatment in the MPLHT area.