Effect of Cladding Fe-Based Coating on the Microstructure, Wear Resistance, and Dynamic Performance of CL60 Steel

The increasing speed of high-speed trains has aggravated wheel wear, posing a major threat to the safety of vehicle operation. In this study, CL60 steel was coated with Fe-based alloy powder by the laser cladding method. The microstructure and wear resistance of the coating were investigated. In addition, the dynamic properties of the wheelset model before and after cladding were also analyzed. The results showed that the best cladding effect was achieved at laser power of 700 W. The wear resistance and micro-hardness of the specimen were significantly improved by cladding. The dynamic performance of both coated and uncoated wheelset models meets the requirements of GB5599-2019. However, the coated wheelset model showed better dynamic performance than the uncoated wheelset model.