Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Wire Feeding System with Induction Heating Applied to L-DED

Laser Energy Directed Deposition (L-DED) process is a well-established industrial technique for precise coating deposition and additive manufacturing. Laser cladding aims to improve surface performance, thereby extending the lifespan of many components in severe corrosive and abrasive wear environments. Wire laser cladding consists of feeding the deposited material with a wire, which is fused by a laser energy source and manipulated over the deposition volume. This process offers several advantages over powder-based systems, such as a cleaner processing environment, reduced environmental cost for wire production, no waste of additional material, and a higher material deposition rate. Through innovative equipment, such as dedicated wire feeding systems and preheating techniques, customized manufacturing strategies can improve coating quality and productivity. Among recent innovations, preheating the wire results in lower energy rates delivered by the laser. This type of heating is called hot-wire heating. Hot-wire is well-known in arc welding, where its synchronization with the arc’s electrical parameters provides a dramatic increase in metal transfer stability and controllability. Based on this, the present paper addresses the development of a wire feeder with integrated induction heating. A geometric characterization of the deposited strands and a characterization of the wire heating temperature profile with thermographic imaging measurement were performed to validate the developed device and its peripherals regarding deposition stability.