• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.78-84
• /
• 2007

Laser Material Processing has been replaced the conventional machining systems - cutting, drilling, welding and surface modification and so on. Especially, LTH(Laser Transformation Hardening) process is one branch of the laser surface modification process. Conventionally, some techniques like a gas carburizing and nitriding as well as induction and torch heating have been used to harden the carbon steels. But these methods not only request post-machining resulted from a deformation but also have complex processing procedures. Besides, LTH process has some merits as : 1. It is easy to control the case depth because of output(laser power) adjustability. 2. It is able to harden the localized and complicated a.ea and minimize a deformation due to a unique property of a localized heat source. 3. An additional cooling medium is not required due to self quenching. 4. A prominent hardening results can be obtained. This study is related to the surface hardening of the rod-shaped carbon steel applied to the lathe based complex processing mechanism, a basic behavior of surface hardening, hardness distribution and structural characteristics in the hardened zone.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.31 no.8
• /
• pp.961-969
• /
• 2007

The laser material processing has replaced a conventional material processing such as a welding, cutting, drilling and surface modification and so on. LTH(Laser Transformation Hardening) is one branch of the laser surface modification process. A lot of energy is needed for the LTH process to elevate workpiece surface to temperature of the austenite transformation($A_3$), which results from utilizing a beam with a larger size and lower power intensity comparatively. The absorptivity of the laser energy with respect to material depends on the wave length of a beam. This study is related to the surface hardening for the rod-shaped carbon steel by the high power diode laser(HPDL) whose beam absorptivity is better than conventional types of lasers such as $CO_2$ or Nd:YAG laser. Because a beam proceeds on the rotating specimen the pretreated hardened-phase can be tempered and softened by the overlapping between hardened tracks. Accordingly, the longitudinal hardness measurement and observation of the micro structure was carried out for an assessment of the hardening characteristics. In addition, a hardening characteristics as a hardenability of materials was compared in the point of view of the hardness distribution and hardening depth and width.

• Laser Solutions
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2008

Laser Transformation Hardening(LTH) is one branch of the laser surface modification processes. A lot of energy is needed for the LTH process to elevate workpiece surface to temperature of the austenite transformation($A_3$), which results from utilizing a beam with a larger size and lower power density comparatively. This study is related to the surface hardening for the rod-shaped carbon steel by the high power diode laser whose beam absorptivity is better than conventional types of lasers such as $CO_2$ or Nd:YAG laser. Because a beam proceeds on the rotating specimen, the pretreated hardened-phase can be tempered and softened by the overlapping between hardened tracks. Accordingly, the longitudinal hardness measurement and observation of the micro structure was carried out for an assessment of the hardening characteristics. In addition, a hardening characteristics as a hardenability of materials was compared in the point of view of the hardness distribution and hardening depth and width.