Near-net shaping control of triangular stacking in laser cladding process

Fabrication of complex parts with irregular geometric cross-section can be realized through precise control of triangular stacking in laser cladding process. This paper deals with the optimization of overlapping ratio and scanning strategy in order to obtain near-net shaping parts. First, multi-track overlapping surface formation mechanisms and surface flatness evaluation method are described. Then, the effects of overlapping ratio and scanning strategy on surface flatness are investigated and optimized. Afterwards, the formation of triangular stack under the optimized parameters are evaluated in terms of accuracy and metallographic aspects. The results show that the minimum flatness occurred when the overlapping ratio is about 20 %. Changing the scanning sequence from left-to-right to center-to-sides can help reduce the negative effects caused by the accumulated heat during the material deposition process, thereby improving the performance efficiency of the cladding.