Laser technology reduces the cost of cutting tools

　　Alvord-polk has recently developed a new technology that USES lasers to fuse a layer of HSS superalloy powder onto the edges of high-speed steel cutters. This is a Laserclad process called Laserclad. It is said that the cutting edge of the tool has the high hardness of HSS super alloy after Laserclad treatment, so the tool's durability is significantly improved.

　　This coating process was completed on a five-axis CNC laser coating machine. It is equipped with a 1.5kv laser and an observation system. Traditionally used to repair turbine blades, it is now used directly to coat the blade belt of the cutter. The upper part of the coating machine is provided with a vibrating feed, in which the HSS super powder is pressed into the blade by argon through a fine tube, and the laser beam melts the powder and the local blade to form a layer of metallurgical binder with hardness of HRC70. This work was initially carried out to investigate the feasibility of the process using the national university of Pennsylvania laboratory, which provided the laser and controller as well as the initial analysis, while Alvord Polk tested the process directly on the reamer blade. The company is also preparing to coat the M-1 HSS reamer blade with Rex121 superalloy.