The influence of operator skills, process parameters and materials on clad shape in repair using laser cladding by wire

In the die industry, it is commonly agreed that residual tool life can be successfully extended by timely repair of damaged surfaces. Traditionally, the main repair process has been tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, but a new, non-traditional process is emerging called laser cladding by filler wire. Laser cladding by wire (LCW) is a manual process, whose results depend on the materials of the wire and tools, on laser process parameters and on operator skills. In the present study, the effect of these factors on clad shape in the laser cladding by wire process is investigated by analysis of variance and regression techniques. Experimental results indicate that only pulse power and duration significantly affect the clad shape. Moreover, the human factor has no effect providing operators are sufficiently skilled. Given the significant factors revealed by the experimental analysis, a nomogram for two common tool steels is presented, allowing the repair operation to be designed on the basis of the fundamental clad dimension.