MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF NON-STATIONARY THERMAL STATE OF THE PROCESSED METAL DURING ITS LASER HARDENING

Abstract

Laser hardening is used for surface hardening of wear parts. Laser equipment is suitable for hardening small and geometrically complex elements. The hardening depth is 0.1 - 1.5 mm. Experimental studies using the robot KUKA KR120 have shown that the process of laser hardening does not always lead to positive results under certain conditions of parts processing, so there is a need to create a calculation base for rational choice of parameters of the process. On the basis of the considered assumptions and limitations, a mathematical model is formulated, which is a boundary value problem for calculating the unsteady thermal state of a metal plate and determining the depth of its heating and possible penetration when the laser beam moves along its surface. A numerical algorithm is proposed that allows to approximate solve the boundary value problem of the plate warm state, to determine the depth of the hardened layer and rational parameters of metal cooling. The calculation of non-stationary temperature fields in a 40X steel plate when exposed to a laser beam with two modes of cooling it with water is shown. The depth of metal penetration and the depth of its hardening are determined.