A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF PROCESS PARAMETERS OF LASER HARDENING IN CARBON STEELS

Surface hardening at functional areas of engineering components is an energy saving process. The components made of En8, En24, En36 and HCHCr steels are hardened in specific areas to meet the functional requirements at effective cost. The formation of martensite structure, leading to hardening, is decided by the composition of the material. Laser beams are used to perform hardening with almost zero deflection. The experimental study is to optimize the process parameters and selecting suitable material for manufacturing components working under critical loads. A 150 W, CO2 continuous wave laser source has been used in the experimental study. Power and scanning speed are the major influencing parameters in hardening process. The results showed that reducing the scanning speed increases hardness and depth due to increased interaction of beam with the work piece. Increasing the power starts melting the surface due to increase in energy. Improved hardness and wear resistance were observed in specimens with higher carbon content