Formation of Structure of a High-Speed Steel upon Laser Surface Melting

Abstract

The effect of time and energy parameters of the pulsed laser treatment on the structure formation and hardness of high-speed steel upon surface melting after complete heat treatment has been studied. The results of the metallographic analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of the steel, as well as of the microhardness measurements, have been discussed. It has been shown that the laser-induced remelting causes a significant refinement of both the dendritic structure of the solid solution and of the carbide constituent of the high-speed steel. The structure of the laser-affected zone and the morphology of dendrites depend on the laser treatment regimes.