Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Laser Surface Melting by Using Enthalpy Method

In this study, experimental and numerical applied of heat distribution due to pulsed Nd: YAG laser surface melting. Experimental side was consists of laser parameters are, pulse duration1.3ms, wavelength 1064nm, laser energies 1.5, 2. 6 and 4.3 J, laser beam diameter is 0.6 mm and spot diameter 0.78 mm was applied a low carbon steel type St37 with a dimension 10, 10, 3 mm, length, width and thickness respectively. Numerical analysis side consist of a mathematical model and calculating a thermal cycle by using equation in the enthalpy method applied to determine the cooling rate in fusion zone. The simulation by using the enthalpy method, applied on conduction heat transfer to estimate the cooling rate model in fusion zone and heat affected zones. Cooling rates models are helping to estimate the microstructure and micro hardness distribution in fusion and heat affected zones. The complication of the heat transfer in laser surface melting process, because at in rapid solidification, therefore the enthalpy model is more appropriate for this case. The result shows that increases of laser energy lead to decrease cooling rates and increase width and penetration of fusion zone, also decrease micro hardness in fusion zone and we found an increase in the pool size of fusion and heat affected zones.