Forming ability of the WC-based ceramic metal composites with different Fe-based binders by unique laser beam modulation

Maurya, H. S. (author), Juhani, K. (author), Sergejev, F. (author), Kumar, Rahul (author), Hussain, A. (author), Prashanth, Konda Gokuldoss (author)

Additive manufacturing enables the production of cermet parts encompassing intricate geometries and tailored microstructures. The present study investigates the fabrication of WC-based Ceramic metal composites (CMC) with pure Fe and ferritic stainless steel (AISI Grade 430 L) green binders by controlling melt pool temperature during the Selective laser melting process. A study of crack restraining and formability of WC composite parts with different Fe-based binder compositions has been conducted by adapting Laser beam modulation (LBM). As a result of optimizing the laser beam with variations in laser power peaks (48, 60, and 72 Watt) and constant exposure times for each laser beam profile, the melt pool temperature was regulated, primary cracks in the parts were reduced and this resulted in the fabrication of the parts with reduced process defects such as internal thermal cracks. The reduction in cracks has been attributed to a lower thermal gradient, which has affected the microstructure and microhardness of the as-built parts. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis have been used to study the microstructure and phase formation in the fabricated parts. The maximum microhardness (2048 ± 209 HV▫$_{1}$▫) has been achieved for the fabricated cermets parts with ferritic stainless steel binder with the composition of WC-20 wt% FeCr.

• Language: English
• Keywords: WC-based composites, SLM, laser beam modulation, microstructures, crack mitigation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 7, art. 100524
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180677
• UDC: 678.7:621.375.826
• ISSN on article: 2949-8228
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.100524
• COBISS.SI-ID: 271607043
• Publication date in RUL: 13.03.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Next materials
• Publisher: Elsevier Ltd.
• ISSN: 2949-8228
• COBISS.SI-ID: 185231875

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: kompoziti na osnovi WC, SLM, modulacija laserskega žarka, mikrostrukture, zmanjševanje razpok

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: Estonian Research Council
• Project number: PRG1145
• Name: Composites ‘ceramic-Fe-alloy’ for a wide range of application conditions