A simplified correlation between laser processing parameters and hardened depth in steels

A simple formula is used to compute the hardened depth obtained by scanning steel surfaces with a laser beam. The calculated depth of hardening was found to be in excellent agreement with experimental results for three steels processed with a CO 2 laser at intermediate scanning rates. For either very fast or very slow scanning rates, however, differences between calculated and measured hardened depths support the earlier conclusion that coupling of the laser beam to the absorptive coating applied to the steel surface is inefficient in these regimes.