APPLICATION OF LASER STRENGTHENING OF ROAD TRANSPORT DETAILS IN THE AGRO-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Abstract

The influence of laser hardening on the properties of the surface layer of iron-carbon alloys, from which various parts of motor transport used in agriculture are made, is analyzed. The peculiarities of the formation of the microstructure in the zone of laser influence for iron-carbon alloys as a result of application of the method of surface laser treatment are considered. It is determined that due to the possibility of austenite to have different effects on the wear resistance of alloys, the choice of hardening mode and the corresponding structural state in the laser zone should be made taking into account the operating conditions of a particular part. For example, for a pair of friction engine cylinder – compression ring residual austenite can contribute to better running of these parts. The distribution of microhardness along the depth of hardening of the corresponding samples of iron-carbon alloys during continuous laser treatment is shown. The dependence of the depth of the laser impact zone in the processed sample on the speed of laser processing is given. The speed of movement of the laser beam on the surface of the processed sample at which the melting zone appears is determined. It is shown that on the surface of the samples treated with a continuous CO₂-laser, an inhomogeneous distribution of residual macrostresses is observed, and there is certain symmetry about the center of the band. As a result, it was obtained that laser hardening provides much better indicators of relative wear, coefficient of friction and the number of cycles before running on the corresponding friction pairs compared to conventional hardening. It is determined that iron- carbon alloys used by domestic manufacturers of road transport parts can be effectively treated with laser radiation.