304-Ni60B (NiCrBSi) composite components using WAAM-LC integrated hybrid manufacturing

The demand for surface wear-resistant metal components is increasing, but the current traditional preparation method of surface heat treatment for forgings and castings can hardly satisfy the trend of green development. In this study, we developed wire arc additive manufacturing laser cladding (WAAM-LC) hybrid manufacturing technology for the integrated preparation of 304 component with Ni60B reinforced coating. The microstructure and mechanical properties of 304 WAAM entity and Ni60B coating were systematically investigated. The results show that a good metallurgical bond is achieved between the Ni60B coating and 304 substrate. Both γ-Fe and δ-Fe phases appear in the 304 WAAM region, and γ-(Ni,Fe), FeNi₃, (Cr,Fe)_mC_n, and Ni_mSi_n phases are detected in the Ni60B LC coating. Slender columnar crystals and cellular crystals coexist in the 304 bonding region, while the bottom of the Ni60B coating consists of plane crystal and columnar crystals. Both molten pools appear to have a haphazardly growing dendrite structure inside. Compared to the 304 substrate, the hardness of Ni60B coating increases by 2.76 times, and the friction and wear mass loss is only 10.54% of the 304, significantly improving the wear resistance of the 304 substrate. This work indicates that WAAM-LC hybrid technology is expected to become a promising new solution for manufacturing surface wear-resistant metal components.

Graphical Abstract