The objective of this work was to investigate a Ti6Al4V/W composite coated by means of the laser-power process. The microhardness profile, microstructure and wear properties of W particles, produced with laser metal deposition (LMD), were explored. Different power-flow rates were used in the study, ranging from 800 kW to 1400 kW, with the other parameters kept constant. The results showed that the LMD process allows the production of a suitable bond between the substrate zone and the clad zone. It was found that LMD has a direct effect on the microhardness and microstructures. The microhardness and wear resistance of the deposited material produced with LMD were higher than those of the Ti6Al4V substrate. The wear result obtained at a laser power of 1000 W revealed better wear resistance than that of the composite coating obtained at 900 W or 1200 W.

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Just as industry is dynamic, constantly evolving according to the state of technology, economics, politics and so on, so must be, higher education. Studies have shown that higher education, for the past century, has constantly adapted to the dynamic skill and knowledge requirements of industry. This adaptation, however, is not always timeous and precise resulting in a widening gap between industry skill requirements and the skills that graduates receive during tertiary learning. This gap can be narrowed if higher education develops futuristic models that prepare students for not only the present day, but the future as well. Higher education in the fields of science, technology and engineering in particular, are in critical need of this future-prediction approach given the high levels of constant, and in some cases, even accelerating change or dynamics. This study develops a concept for industrial engineers of the future and demonstrates that is it possible to better prepare graduates for the uncertain future, by predicting some key skill requirements of industry ahead of time from information of yesterday and today.

The usage of different powders to enhance the surface properties of base materials has an impact on the cost. Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) of Ti6Al4V + W composite was used and the effect of laser power and scanning speed was investigated. The microstructure, microhardness, and x-ray diffraction analyses, and wear tests were conducted. The microstructure of the samples fabricated using higher laser power (1400W) displayed larger grains when compared to the ones fabricated using lower laser power (800 W). The Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) values showed some changes with the variation of scanning speeds. Furthermore, the x-ray diffraction patterns did not show the formation of new phases. A similar trend on the microhardness profiles for all the fabricated samples was observed. Higher microhardness values were observed in the top part of the deposited material. The microhardness profile showed similar trends for all the analysed samples. Higher microhardness values were measured at the top of deposition and decreased progressively. On the other hand, the scanning speed did not affect the wear volume, though the highest wear volume of 0.144 mm was observed for the sample fabricated using 800 W laser power and 0.7 m min−1. This shows that process parameters such as laser power and scanning have an impact on the resulting properties of deposited composite material.