FEASIBILITY STUDY OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE (IN625-WC) MANUFACTURING BY LASER ENGINEERED NET SHAPING (LENS).

The present paper focuses on the technological approach to manufacturing composite in the form of Inconel 625 reinforced with tungsten carbide particles. Twenty-four samples with reinforcement amounts ranging from 30 to 90% (wt.%) and different numbers of deposited layers were manufactured with the use of Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS). The metallurgical quality, microstructure, chemical and phase composition as well as hardness of the produced composites were determined. Digital microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and SEM-EDS were employed for this purpose. Despite numerous cracks, the fabricated samples exhibited a greater hardness than single-layer coatings of analogous composition also produced by additive techniques. This phenomenon is likely a result of repeated crystallization of the composites in remelted areas. A dual mechanism of material strengthening is observed in the additively manufactured composites, both by the presence of reinforcing particles and precipitates of secondary phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]