Influence of Laser Parameters on the Texturing of 420 Stainless Steel

Abstract

AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel is widely used in the mould industry due to its high tensile strength, hardness, and corrosion properties. Another requirement concerning any material used for this type of application is high thermal conductivity to minimise the time between consecutive injection cycles. The surfaces of some parts of the mould may be textured and reinforced with a material with higher thermal conductivity to achieve this aim. The results of a detailed study on the texturing of annealed 420 stainless steel using a Nd:YVO4 fibre laser are presented in this work. The influence of the laser’s processing parameters (laser power, scanning speed, number of passes, and line spacing) on the dimensions of the track, microstructure, and hardness of the modified surfaces was studied. Based on the continuity and dimensions of the machined grooves, several promising textures could be produced with laser power values from 5 to 30 W, scanning speeds of 500 to 2000 mm/s, 8 passes or more, and line spacings of 40 and 50 µm. High laser powers were responsible for the dissolution of chromium carbides in the laser tracks, the incorporation of chromium in austenite, and the consequent hardening of the microstructure.

Investigating the Effect of Nanosecond Laser Surface Texturing on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of AISI 301LN

“…These diverse studies collectively contribute to the advancement of precise and reliable surface roughness measurements in various domains, particularly by confocal microscopy. While some previous studies have shown promising results in selecting the laser parameters to archive less surface roughness in some laboratory-scale applications [48,49], more research is needed to demonstrate practical applications of nanosecond laser surface texturing for real-world industrial applications of AISI 301LN.…”

Investigation of Groove Width Created by Fiber Laser on ST52 Steel

“…According to their research, medium to high laser power values, medium scanning rates, a high number of passes, and larger line spacings were usually needed to produce textures of a high caliber. In particular, scanning speeds between 500 and 2000 mm/s, eight passes or more, and line spacings between 40 and 50 µm were used to develop the most promising textures with laser power levels of 16%, 64%, and 100% (Cunha et al, 2022). The main focus of the research is on the complex dynamics of laser-material interaction, with a focus on absorbed energy density, pulse frequency, scan rate, and overlap coefficients.…”