In response to our customers needs, Whitfield Welding has added laser cladding to its additive services. Laser cladding, a fully automated additive process, utilizes a high power laser to create a weld pool and an off axis or coaxial nozzle to inject powdered filler material into the pool. The process is also suited off axis hot wire fill. Laser cladding, when controlled properly adds material with the least amount of dilution possible by any additive process.
Laser cladding offers a true metallurgical bond that is 100% dense, with dilution levels as low as 1-2%.
Capabilities
- 50,000 lbs Crane Capacity
- Open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week and half day on Saturday - we can accommodate special requests after hours
- 4kW fibre connected Diode Laser
4KW fibre laser
- 2 6-Axis Robots
- Large Work Envelope (30'x12'x12')
- 5 Power welding positioners from 50 to 8,000 lb Capacity
- Coaxial and off-axis cladding heads allowing us to clad a wide variety of geometries
- ID Cladding Head capable of cladding IDs as small as 4 inches, how deep do you need us to go?
- Variable spot sizes allow for tailoring to individual jobs
- Full 3D modeling and CAM control ensures repeatability and accuracy
- Off-line simulation for quick and accurate development
- Over 20 different cladding materials on-site including many different grades of cobalt, nickel and carbide based alloys
Advantages
- Minimal dilution is achieved to keep the desired properties of the cladded material.
- Low heat input, ideal for heat treated alloys.
- Large powder metal alloy inventory.
- Variable beam size allows for cladding parts of different size/thickness. Laser Hard-facing as little as 0.010", and as much as 0.060" per pass.
- Laser cladding drastically increases lifetime of critical parts,
- Coating thickness can be applied to near net shape to minimize post process machining.
- Controlled amount of deposition.
- Availability of facing with exotic metals.
- Well suited for robot control which gives excellent process replication.