Extreme High-Speed Laser Material Deposition (EHLA) awarded with 2018 Steel Innovation Prize.
Volker Lannert | Fraunhofer ILT
Friction-stressed cylindrical machine components made of steel such as rollers or cylinders are often protected against wear and corrosion by hard chrome plating, thermal spraying or laser material deposition. For their development of a resource-efficient and economical alternative, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen, Germany, and the Chair for Digital Additive Production at RWTH Aachen University have now been awarded the 2018 Steel Innovation Prize in the "Research and Development" category.
The jointly developed high-speed laser material deposition EHLA avoids drawbacks such as low adhesion during thermal spraying, a low surface rate during (laser) material deposition or the use of hexavalent chromium compounds during hard chrome plating. In addition, EHLA is significantly more energy-efficient than these processes according to a statement from the German Steel Federation.
First applications in the offshore industry
EHLA is innovative in that the powder particles of the filler metal are melted while they are still above the weld pool unlike conventional laser material deposition. EHLA would allow coatings with thicknesses between 10 and 250 µm to be applied at process speeds of up to 500 m/min and area rates of more than 250 cm2/min. Due to the comparatively low heat input, heat-sensitive components could also be coated and, for the first time, material combinations such as titanium on steel could be realised using conventional metallurgy.
According to the jurors, EHLA is setting new standards in productivity, surface quality, environmental friendliness and resource efficiency. After implementing EHLA technology in the systems of a laser manufacturer, the first industrial applications such as coating hydraulic cylinders up to ten metres in length for offshore applications with a corrosion-resistant nickel-based alloy have already been realised.