Accelerated Correlation of Microstructure–Mechanical Property Relationships in Laser Clad Steels

Nanoindentation mapping is an ideal technique for correlating mechanical properties with local chemistry and microstructure but suffers from the slow process of manually aligning separately measured maps. Here, we discuss a novel system designed to streamline the process of correlating microstructure with mechanical properties using an automated, high throughput in situ nanoindentation testing method. The system is used to assess the microstructure via electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) before rotating toward the nanoindenter probe for nanomechanical mapping. This system is applied to a cross section of a 4140 steel with a 410 stainless-steel cladding, which shows three distinct microstructural zones. Clear correlations between hardness and microstructure are revealed via corresponding EBSD and nanoindentation maps. Finally, by performing a line profile of indentations across the cladding cross section, additional hardness distributions are revealed that were not evident by initial microstructural evaluations.