Analysis of laser shock peening parameters on the surface integrity of WC-Co cemented carbide

Abstract

Former explorations have revealed that laser shock peening can enhance the integrity of the carbide surface. This study aims to examine the effect of laser shock parameters on WC-Co cemented carbide surface integrity and a comparative analysis of carbide protrusion. An experimental design is conducted to quantify the impact of relevant process parameters. Surface roughness and residual stress have been employed to assess the surface integrity parameters. Additionally, the TOPSIS entropy weight approach has been utilized to analyze the comprehensive evaluation of the surface integrity by the coupling effect of multiple laser parameters. The results indicate that the laser parameters substantially affect the surface quality and are the determining factor of the laser power density. The constrained layer protects the carbide surface well and gives it better surface integrity. The laser power density directly influences the thermal effect of the material, making the WC particles progressively more prominent and increasing the surface roughness. At the same time, the surface roughness and residual stresses coupled with multiple parameters are analyzed using the TOPSIS entropy weight approach. The results highlight that the relatively best WC-Co carbide strengthening effect is achieved during laser processing, with laser power density of 3.98 J/cm2, scanning speed of 400 mm/s, and impact number of 2 times.