Surface modification of AZ61 Magnesium Alloy with Stelcar Alloy Powder Using Laser Cladding Technique

Objective: To examine the tribological and mechanical characteristics of the AZ61 alloy reinforced with Stelcar alloy powder by surface modification through laser cladding. Methods: Surface modification was done by using a laser cladding machine, where the input parameters including Scanning Speed (SS), Laser Power (LP) and Powder Feed Rate (PFR) were adjusted. Experimental design followed a L9 Taguchi approach, and optimization of input parameters for the surface modified AZ61 alloy reinforced with Stelcar alloy particles was achieved using Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). Output responses, namely wear volume and micro hardness were measured to assess the effectiveness of the optimization process. Findings: From the results obtained through the experiments, powder feed rate contributes to 82.81% of the variability in wear volume, whereas the laser power mostly impacts micro hardness; influencing it by 89.46% confirmed with ANOVA. In order to determine the optimal processing parameters among various objectives, this research applies the grey relational method. The results showed that the wear volume and micro hardness of the composite were significantly affected by the Stelcar reinforcement. Employing Grey relational analysis combined with several optimization objectives into a transparent method, resulting in a clad material with the lower wear volume and higher micro hardness. The optimized processing parameters predicted grey relational grades with an error rate of 1.39% and a significant contribution of 63.60% from laser power. This study confirmed that multi-objective optimization could enhance laser-cladded surface mechanical characteristics and laid out the theoretical foundation for this approach. Novelty: This study introduces an innovative approach to surface modification by employing the laser cladding technique to reinforce Stelcar alloy particles, thereby creating a dense coating on the substrate. Keywords: Laser Cladding, AZ61 magnesium alloy, Stelcar alloy, Coating, Optimization