Product Code: PIC2008_402

Experience Industrial Laser Surfacing Applications
Authors:
Trevor Anderson, Jarvie Engineering Pty. Ltd.; Newcastle NSW Australia Australia
Presented at PICALO 2008

Laser surfacing, also known as laser cladding is an emerging technology that has gained a very important foothold in the area of industrial maintenance. Not only is the process providing new opportunities to resurface and extend critical component life, it is also facilitating the development of new products and opportunities that were previously considered impractical. The process is amongst the most expensive industrial coating processes available to the market today. However the last 8 years in Australia has seen process acceptance grow from one potential corrosion based application in the coal mining industry, to a multitude of applications and opportunities covering a broad range of industries. Process acceptance is mainly based on the high integrity of the deposit, the physical and chemical properties of the coating, its low-invasive metallurgical bonding to the substrate, and its reputation as a low heat process. This communication reports some of those applications and describes why laser surfacing was selected for such applications.