Influence of Laser-Assisted Cutting on the Surface Integrity and Fatigue Life of FeCoCrNiAl0.6 High-Entropy Alloy

This study explores the application of laser-assisted cutting (LAC) in FeCoCrNiAl_0.6 high-entropy alloys to address traditional machining challenges and poor surface quality. It systematically analyzes the effects of laser power, scan speed, and spot diameter on surface integrity and fatigue life. Using Abaqus/FE-SAFE simulations and LAC experiments, differences in surface quality and fatigue cycles under various laser parameters are observed. Results show that increasing the spot radius reduces heat accumulation and center temperature. A 1 mm radius yields a center temperature 5.58 times higher than a 7 mm radius and achieves a residual compressive stress of 412 MPa, which decreases to 198 MPa (51.9% reduction) at 7 mm. Larger laser power increases stress and fatigue life positively, while higher scan speeds reduce stress. Fatigue cycles drop by 82.9% as the spot radius increases from 1 to 7 mm, while 25 W power extends fatigue life 4.26 times compared to 10 W.