A Comparative Study of High-Power Diode Laser and CO₂ Laser Surface Hardening of AISI 1045 Steel

The study investigates laser surface hardening in the AISI 1045 steel using two different types of industrial laser: a high-power diode laser (HPDL) and a CO₂ laser, respectively. The effect of process parameters such as beam power, travel speed on structure, case depth, and microhardness was examined. In most cases, a heat-affected zone (HAZ) formed below the surface; a substantial increase in surface hardness was achieved. In addition, big differences were found between the hardened specimens after HPDL surface hardening and CO₂ laser surface hardening. For HPDL, depths of the HAZ were almost equal in total HAZ o, without surface melting. For CO₂ laser, the depths changed a lot in the HAZ, with surface melting in the center. To better understand the difference of laser hardening results when use these two types of laser, numerical (ANSYS) analysis of the heat conduction involved in the process was also studied. For HPDL method, a rectangular beam spot and uniform energy distribution across the spot were assumed, while for CO₂ laser, a circular beam spot and Gaussian energy distribution were assumed. The results showed that the energy distribution variety altered the thermal cycles of the HAZ dramatically. The rectangular HPDL laser beam spot with uniform energy distribution is much more feasible for laser surface hardening.