Increased Tool Performance with Rockit LAserGenerated Surfaces
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Luleå tekniska universitet - Avdelningen för Produkt och produktionsutveckling |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 837 498 |
| Project duration | October 2017 - January 2020 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The project aimed to evaluate mechanical properties on surfaces laser cladded with a newly developed and cobalt-free powder material RockitTM by Höganäs, providing more shock and wear-resistant surfaces. Tests on samples were performed and compared to conventional surfaces. Demonstrator tests for welded tillage points and rock drill heads were also performed and implementation plans drawn up. The properties were good for test pieces, but demonstrator results remain unclear. More testing is required for points and for drill heads implementation is yet not reasonable.
Expected long term effects
Wear and impact properties of laser cladded surfaces with the new material were expected to be higher than conventional materials. A method for more efficient laser welding was developed. The resulting surfaces were tested by abrasion tests and shock tests, resulting in abrasion levels close to nickel-based materials but impact resistance improved. For tillage points, it was shown that positioning of the coating was unfavorable - more tests are needed for fair comparison. For the drill heads the cladded surface was barely affected but premature rupture of hard phase buttons occurred.
Approach and implementation
To successfully perform laser cladding with the new material, some adjustments to the process need to be made to prevent crack formation. When the process was adapted to minimize cracks and pores, surfaces were welded for which abrasion and impact resistance were tested in a lab environment. As the properties of the surfaces were good, demonstrators were welded which were then tested in real conditions, as well as in a newly developed test rig for points. Thereafter, these were evaluated for possible implementation of the material in production.