Abstract: The blown powder laser cladding process has recently been greatly enhanced by the development of a coaxial powder feed system. This system is described in this paper together with some of the new applications arising from it. The powder feeder depends on various gas flow streams. The effect of these streams on the focus of the powder stream is discussed from experiments using image analysis. The thermal behavior of the powder particles as they fall in a laser heated stream is also analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The effect of the powder focus and preheat on the catchment efficient of the resulting clads is mathematically modelled and compared to the experimental results for a stainless steel clad on a mild steel substrate.!9
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