Laser surface alloying of AlSi7Cu4MgMn aluminium alloy with silicon carbide

The article presents the results of tests on the laser surface alloying of AlSi7Cu4MgMn aluminium alloy using silicon carbide. The objective of the tests was to establish the influence of laser beam power and travel rate, ceramic powder feeding rate and presence of activating flux on the quality of seams surface alloyed with an HPDDL laser using SiC particles as well as to determine the optimum technological process conditions. The assessment of the quality of surface alloyed seams was carried out using macro and microscopic examination verifying the proper generation of a composite layer on the surface and the percentage fraction of SiC particles in the root run. The article also presents the results of microhardness measurements in the cross-sections of laser-processed layers.