Underwater friction surfacing

Underwater friction surfacing experiments were carried out in a waterbath to clarify the effect of the surrounding medium on the characteristics of the process and the deposit. A quench hardenable martensitic stainless steel with 1%C and 17%Cr was used as the coating material and low carbon structural steel as the substrate. The mechanisms of friction surfacing have been analysed and the results show that a uniform hardness distribution and refined microstructure can be achieved in the transverse section of the deposit. As a result of the cooling effect of water, the deposition efficiency of the consumable material under water was greater than in air. Defects such as quench cracks were not observed in water owing to the reheating characteristics of the underwater friction surfacing process.