INFLUENCE OF LASER-INDUCED CAPILLARY WAVE S ON HEAT AND MASS-TRANSFERIN THE ARC-AUGMENTED LASER PROCESSING OF MATERIALS

An experimental study is reported of the influence of capillary waves on heat and mass transfer in molten metal during arc-augmented laser p rocessing by cw CO2 laser radia-tion of q almost-equal-to 2-4.5 MW cm- 2 intensity. Capillary waves excited on the melt surface by a periodic pulsed reaction of a metal vapour jet had complex dynamics. An analys is of the experimental results indicated a considerable change in heat and mass transfer in the melt when three-dimensional vibra-tions were excited, compared with the processes that occur at intensities of q < 2 MW cm-2. Such changes enhanced the mixing of the alloying elements (compared with the familiar alloying methods) and established the opti mal (for surface processing of metals) shape of a molten bath.