Numerical Simulation of the Temperature Field and Study of Phase Transformation Behavior in CuCrZr/316L Laser Cladding

A systematic numerical simulation and analysis of the temperature field were conducted for the laser cladding process of CuCrZr alloy onto a 316L stainless steel substrate. First, the thermal properties of the material (density, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity) as a function of temperature were calculated using JMatPro software. The equilibrium phase diagram of the CuCrZr alloy was obtained using Thermo-Calc, clarifying the stability of each phase and the solid–liquid phase transition ranges. Based on these findings, three-dimensional transient heat transfer models for single-layer single-pass and single-layer multi-pass cladding were established using ANSYS finite element software and a double-ellipsoidal moving heat source model. The effects of laser power on the evolution of the temperature field, peak temperature, and thermal cycling characteristics were systematically investigated. The simulation results indicate that the temperature field exhibits typical rapid heating and rapid cooling characteristics; the peak temperature increases significantly with rising laser power, and the extent of the high-temperature region expands. A combined analysis of the phase diagram and temperature field results indicates that the peak cladding temperature exceeds the complete melting temperature of the alloy, ensuring sufficient melting. This study provides a reliable theoretical foundation and data support for optimizing laser cladding process parameters, predicting the microstructure of the cladding layer, and controlling thermal stress.