CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF LASER-WELDED STAINLESS STEELS

This work presents the laser welding of dissimilar X12CrCoWVNbN12-2-2 and X10CrNi18-10 steels. This system is of interest, as laser welding offers new flexibility in the joining of metals and laser welds (LWs) and are usually of high quality; they are obtained only after the optimization of process parameters. The aim of the work was to investigate the microstructure, chemical composition, and hardness changes of laser-welded steels. After laser welding, two zones were generated in the processed materials: a fusion zone and a heat-affected zone. Due to solidification, a refinement of the microstructure occurred in the fusion zone. Examinations of the chemical composition of particular melted areas showed the occurrence of Nb-rich precipitations. The laser welding of steels led to increased hardness in the fusion zone (about 240–530 HV0.3).