Laser metal deposition as repair technology for stainless steel and titanium alloys

In a repair process chain, damaged areas or cracks can be removed by milling and subsequently be reconditioned with new material deposition. The use of laser metal deposition has been investigated for this purpose. The material has been deposited into different groove shapes, using both stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4 V. The influence of welding parameters on the microstructure and the heat affected zone has been studied. The parameters have been modified in order to achieve low heat input and consequently low distortion as well as low metallurgical impact. Finally, an evaluation of the opportunities for an automatized repair process is made.