Study for Combined Wire + Powder Laser Metal Deposition of H11 and Niobium

Laser additive manufacturing (LAM) has been proved to be a successful technique to fabricate metallic components for a number of industries; for instance, die & mold, forging and cutting tools, and aerospace. It is, however, facing multitude obstacles due to lack of maturity in terms of process knowledge, design, and qualification. This paper deals with parameters study and optimization of combined hot-work tool steel wire (H11) and niobium powder (Nb) deposition by laser. The process is closely analysed and compared with as well as without using Nb powder. Especially, the importance of Nb in order to refine the microstructure is discussed while taking into account the microstructure-property relationships of H11.