Effect of particle size distribution on pure copper layer formation in a multi-beam laser cladding system with pure copper powder and two blue diode lasers

Multi-beam laser cladding uniformly heats a powder to form a cladding layer. However, the temperature of the powder reaching the substrate is inhomogeneous due to the powder size distribution. Herein the effect of the powder size distribution on layer formation during multi-beam laser cladding is investigated by evaluating pure copper layers formed on stainless steel substrates using copper powder with different particle sizes. A layer forms at a power density of 3.6 × 104 W/cm2 or higher for powders with an average particle size of 30 μm but the iron component in the pure copper layer increases as the power density increases. Additionally, a layer forms at 2.0 × 104 W/cm2 or higher with an average particle size of 20 µm. Furthermore, the volume of layer formation per energy (deposition efficiency) increases with an average particle size of 20 μm. A method, which efficiently forms a cladding layer, should realize economical methods to form copper cladding layers with excellent properties.