Laser Hardening Techniques for Steel Surface Modification
Summary
Laser hardening is a non-contact surface treatment in which a controlled laser beam rapidly heats the steel surface above the austenitisation temperature, followed by self-quenching to form a martensitic layer. This process enables selective hardening of intricate geometries without the need for auxiliary quenching media, reducing distortion and preserving core toughness. By adjusting laser power, beam shape and scanning speed, practitioners can tailor case depth, hardness profile and residual stress states. The technique finds applications in automotive gears, bearings, cutting tools and aerospace components, offering enhanced wear resistance, fatigue life and environmental benefits through reduced processing steps and minimal material removal. Recent advances encompass sustainable remanufacturing, beam shaping for uniform temperature distributions and predictive modelling to optimise process parameters for diverse steel grades.
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Laser Hardening Techniques for Steel Surface Modification publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in laser hardening techniques for steel surface modification across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Austenitisation temperature: The critical temperature above which steel transforms to a homogeneous face-centred cubic austenite phase.
Martensite: A hard, needle-like microstructure formed by rapid quenching of austenite.
Laser fluence: Energy delivered per unit area by the laser beam, typically expressed in J cm⁻².
Self-quenching: Rapid cooling of the laser-heated zone by conduction into the colder substrate, eliminating the need for external quenchants.
Beam scanning speed: The velocity at which the laser spot moves across the workpiece surface, influencing heating duration and cooling rate.
References
- Sustainable technology for remanufacturing of carburized steels by laser hardening. Journal of Materials Research and Technology (2023).
- Comparing the surface hardness of mild steel processed with CO₂ and fibre lasers. Results in Materials (2023).
- Temperature Modeling of AISI 1045 Steel during Surface Hardening Processes. Materials (2018).
- Optimization of the Laser Hardening Process by Adapting the Intensity Distribution to Generate a Top-hat Temperature Distribution Using Freeform Optics. Coatings (2017).
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