Study on Process Parameters and Lap Ratio for Laser Cladding IN718 Repair of EA4T Steel

Laser cladding offers distinct advantages over traditional manufacturing methods, including low heat input, minimal dilution ratio, dense clad layers, and robust bonding. It is widely employed for surface strengthening of metals to enhance performance and repair failed components, thereby reducing material waste. This study investigates laser cladding repair of EA4T steel, focusing on examining the effects of laser power, scanning speed, and powder feed rate on melt pool dilution ratio and shape factor during cladding of IN718 material onto EA4T steel substrate. Orthogonal experiments were conducted to investigate the combined effects of different process parameters on dilution rate and shape factor. Optimal process parameters were determined by comprehensively evaluating melt pool cross-sectional morphology and internal defects. Based on this, theoretical lap calculations were performed, and the optimal theoretical lap ratio was obtained through experiments. Experiments indicated that the influence of process parameter variations on molten pool morphology parameters is not linear; the combined effects of all factors must be comprehensively considered.