Abstract
Specimens of an AISI M42 high speed tool steel were austenitised, quenched in a salt bath, and tempered twice. Following this the specimens were moved in front of a focused laser beam to obtain a treatment depth similar to that found under industrial conditions. One series of specimens was examined immediately after the laser treatment, another was subject to four subsequent tempering procedures of 1 h each at 550°C. Following treatment, the quenched but untempered specimens and the tempered material were examined by various means. The effect of laser heating on the solution of carbides, the effect of laser heating and tempering on cutting properties, and possible applications to new cutting tool production technologies are described.
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