Process control of laser surface alloying

In spite of the many advantages of laser surface treatment, such as high production rates and low induced thermal distortion, and its great potential for modifying the surface properties of a wide range of new and existing materials, industrial applications are still limited. This is not only because of the relatively high cost of laser systems; another significant problem is the high sensitivity of laser surface treatments to process disturbances and to small changes in processing parameters. A change of only 100/0 in absorbed laser power, for example, can cause a change of up to 50% in case depth. Real time process control is therefore required to increase the stability, reproducibility, efficiency, and productivity of laser surface treatment.