| Abstract: | An evaluation of coating performances in feedback controlled surface temperature laser heat treating has been made in terms of a simple energy balance model, by using a 500 W c.w. CO2 laser system able to perform such a kind of heat treating. Three different types of coating (manganese phosphate, titanium dioxide and colloidal graphite) have been investigated. The experimental results show that very different maximum processing speeds are ensured by each coating, in spite of their quite similar percentage of absorbed laser power. This more complete characterisation can be used to improve the performances of the aforesaid technique, avoiding any failure in controlled surface temperature laser heat treating. |
