ElectroSpark Deposition (ESD) is a pulsed micro-welding process that is capable of depositing wear and corrosion resistance deposit to repair, improve, and to extend the service life of the components and tools. Major new applications have taken place in gas turbine blades and steam turbine blade protection and repair, and in military, medical, metal-working, and recreational equipment applications. In this study, the ESD technique was exploited to fabricate 2024 aluminum alloy deposit on a similar substrate. The deposits were deposited using different process parameters. Heat input was varied on three levels. The outcoming microstructure was analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopies. The deposit was characterized by the overlapping of layers with a mixed microstructure. The average hardness was independent from the process parameters. Both porosity inside the deposits and cracks at the deposit/substrate interface were detected. The porosity lowered with the heat input and increased the average length of cracks.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.