Abstract: The technique of laser beam alloying combines the benefits offered by high levels of laser beam energy and spot-on positional accuracy to treat the areas of forming tools most prone to wear. All compression molding and hammering tools stand to benefit from this application. Tools made of any of the hot forming tool steels currently in standard industrial use are suitable candidates for this treatment. The advantages of die forging, i.e. optimum material utilization, high productivity and low unit labor costs are offset to a certain extent by relatively high tool costs. The potential of alloying in the manufacture of wear-resistant tool steels has been largely exhausted. Increasingly, attention is focusing on surface treatment techniques. The scope for improving the efficiency of forging tools using conventional hot treatment and hard facing processes is, however, marginal. Due to insufficient thickness and adhesive strength of the coating, thin film technologies are generally unsuitable for coating tools which are subjected to high levels of thermal and mechanical strain. In contrast, the application of various laser surface techniques to forging tools in order to prolong tool life is highly promising.!4
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