Tailored deformation and properties of cast aluminum alloy ZL114A repaired by laser deposition

Laser deposition repair technology was used to repair the cast aluminum alloy ZL114A. The microstructure and properties of the repaired area were analyzed, and the impact of the deposition repair process on dimensional deformation was evaluated. The results show that the interface in the repaired area has good metallurgical bonding, and partial remelting of eutectic Si in the substrate interface area was observed. The microstructure in the repaired area mainly consists of dendritic and equiaxed grains. Wherein, epitaxial growth dendrites are located at the bottom of the repaired area, while equiaxed grains were exist in the middle and top of the repaired area. The fine and uniform dendritic microstructure in the repaired area enhances the hardness of the repaired area, but there is a decreasing trend in hardness near the heat-affected zone. The overall performance of the repaired area and the substrate can be improved through T6 heat treatment, with tensile strength reaching up to 330 MPa under a 50% repair ratio. The deformation of the laser deposition repair is minimal, ensuring that machined parts or repaired parts can be restored under low deformation conditions.