Master's thesis of Engineering: Investigation of laser deposited wear resistant coatings on railway axle steels

The objectives of the present study are: Justifying the possibility of using laser cladding technology as a repair method for refurbishment of worn railway axles without jeopardizing their fatigue properties; Analysis of crack initiation and propagation in laser clad samples. Investigating the root causes that lead to cracking in the clad layer or the HAZ of the base material; Suggesting some preventive methods to avoid the formation of the defects that are responsible for the formation of cracks including processing parameters optimization and finished surface quality; investigating the effect of cladding material on the fatigue life of the clad railway axles.