| Process | Laser sources | Process description |
|---|
| Transformation hardening |
CO2, Fibre, Disc, Nd:YAG, Diode |
Produces local hardening with case-depth of 1µ to 2mm, usually in steel |
| Shock hardening |
CO2, Fibre, Nd:YAG, Disc, excimer |
Induces shock waves at surface using pulses of laser energy to create a hardened layer |
| Laser glazing |
CO2, Fibre, Disc, Nd:YAG, Diode, Excimer |
Production of ultra-fine microstructures or glasses |
| Surface homogenisation |
CO2, Fibre, Disc, Nd:YAG, Diode, Excimer |
Microstructural refinement by re-melting |
| Cladding |
CO2,Fibre, Disc, Nd:YAG, Diode |
Produces local fusion and deposition of a second material onto a surface |
| Surface alloying |
CO2, Fibre, Nd:YAG, Disc, Diode |
Selective local alloying to change surface properties, e.g. addition of C to steel, W or N to Ti, and Si to Al |
| Surface impregnation |
CO2, Fibre, Nd:YAG, Disc, Diode |
Fusion with addition of a solid fraction, e.g. tungsten carbides |
| Surface texturing |
CO2, Fibre, Nd:YAG, Disc, CVL, excimer |
Produces local change in surface texture, e.g. makes rougher, smoother or adds texture |
| Micro-joining |
CVL. TEA, CO2 |
Very controlled surface texturing for special chemical or mechanical purposes |
| Photochemical modification |
Excimer, CVL |
Produces local changes for marking, better adhesive bonding or change of surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance |
| Stripping or ablation |
Excimer, Fibre, TEA, CO2, Nd:YAG |
Controlled removal of surface layers without altering the substrate, e.g. removing contaminated layers from nuclear materials |
| Surface refining |
Excimer |
Rapid, shallow melting to vaporise inclusions and impurities |