Product Code: ICAL08_1604

Laser Cladding of Tungsten Carbide Hardfacing Alloys on Steels Used in Mining Industry
Authors:
M.J. Tobar, Universidade Da Coruna; Ferrol Spain
J.M. Amado, Universidade Da Coruna; Ferrol - a Coruna Spain
A. Yáñez, Universidade da Coruna; Ferrol Spain
J. Lamas, Universidade Da Coruna; Ferrol Spain
J.C. lvarez, Universidade Da Coruna; Ferrol - a Coruna Spain
Presented at ICALEO 2008

The abrasive nature of the mechanical processes involved in the mining and mineral industry often cause significant wear to the associated equipment and derived non neglible economic costs. One of the possible strategies to improve the wear resistance of the various components is the deposition of hardfacing layers on the bulk parts. The use of high power lasers for hardfacing (Laser cladding) has received great attention in the last decade as an alternative to other more standard methods (arc welding, oxy-fuel gas welding ,thermal spraying). In laser cladding the hardfacing material is used in powder form. For high hardness applications Ni, Co or Fe based alloys containing hard phase carbides at different ratios are commonly used. Tungsten Carbides(WC) can provide coating hardness well above 1000 HV (Vickers). In this respect, commertially available WC powders normally contain spherical micro-particles (<40 microns) consisting of crushed, WC agglomerates. Very recently, the family Spherotene® powders was patented which consists of spherical fused (< 40 microns), monocrystaline WC particles, being extremely hard, between 1800 and 3000 HV. In this work WC layers deposited on steel substrates by laser cladding are studied. Results obtained with crushed type tungsten carbide powders (WOKA3303) and fused like (Spherotene, Technolase60S, Technolase40S) are presented and discussed. Analysis includes microstructure and phase inspection as well as tribological performance.