Product Code: ICAL07_P534

Induction Heating Unit Equipped with Closed-loop PID Controller; Versatile Tool in Laser Cladding
Authors:
Jari Tuominen, Tampere University of Technology; Tampere Finland
Petri Vuoristo, Tampere University of Technology; Tampere Finland
Presented at ICALEO 2007

Mobile induction heating unit equipped with closed-loop PID controller is versatile tool in laser materials processing. In this study well-controllable heat energy induced by magnetic field was utilized to overcome the commonly known problems related to laser cladding. Productivity (kg/h, m2/h) was significantly increased by heating the substrate before and during the cladding or alternatively by heating the clad material before it entered the laser beam. Cracking tendency often encountered in brittle hard-facing materials was decreased or eliminated completely by efficient simultaneous induction heating. Hardenable base materials, which are usually laser cladded in annealed state and subsequently submitted to heat-treating, was laser cladded in heat-treated condition and simultaneously tempered with the help of induction.