Effect of laser surface remelting on Microstructure, mechanical properties and tribological properties of metals and alloys: A review

Surface defects like porosity, cracks, coarse grains, surface roughness, etc. have a huge impact on the strength and performance of materials. Due to this, surface treatments have become an important part in the field of materials to attain certain desirable mechanical properties and surface properties. Surface of parts treated with laser surface remelting exhibits excellent surface and mechanical properties. It is a computer-based technique which provides the advantage of treating selective surfaces. Laser surface remelting tends to enhance corrosion resistance, microhardness, wear resistance, fatigue strength, and tensile strength of the materials. To achieve certain mechanical properties with laser surface remelting, an optimized set of laser processing parameters is essential. Laser surface remelting has become a compulsory treatment for parts manufactured by Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes as these processes provide poor surface, porosity, and hot cracking defects which ultimately affect the performance of parts. This paper critically evaluates the advancements which have been made in the field of laser surface remelting to get better surface quality, improved mechanical and tribological properties.