Abstract
With laser melt injection, metal matrix composite (MMC) layers can be generated on various tools. By using spherical fused tungsten carbide (SFTC) particles as reinforcing material, extremely wear-resistant MMC layers can be produced. However, due to low process speeds, the number of applications for laser melt injection was strongly limited until now. Therefore, a high-speed process for laser melt injection (HSLMI) was developed allowing process speeds up to 100 m/min and an efficient production of tools such as skin-pass rolls, accordingly. Skin-pass rolls are used for setting the final sheet thickness and surface texture. In this paper, new textures for skin-pass rolls generated by HSLMI are presented and characterized. Furthermore, it is studied how the texture of the roll is transferred to the sheet metal. For generating an increased high-low structure, laser ablation was carried out after HSLMI and grinding of the rolls. An analysis of the topography showed that different height differences between SFTC particles and matrix can be set. Furthermore, it was found that all textures were transferred from the roll to the sheet metal.
