A NOTE ON RAPID SURFACE MELTING BY LASER

The use of high energy beams (HEB) such as laser and electron beams, a llows the concentration of very high power densities on the surface of materials. Therefore, it is possible to accomplish conditions of very rapid surface melting and resolidification to obtain interesting modi fications of surface microstructures. Despite important results, claim ed and verified in laboratory experiments, very few applications have been introduced into industrial practice. Problems involved in practic al applications of rapid surface melting and consequent restrictions a re discussed, along, with some examples of treatments involving surfac e melting and coating.