Laser cladding process - GIF

[Altair]

Laser cladding process.




Previously:

Additive manufacturing - GIF
Additive manufacturing - GIF
Laser deposition welding and milling machine - video
Laser metal deposition - GIF

[Inner]

https://www.gtv-mbh.de/en/processes/laser-cladding.html

Laser cladding is an additive manufacturing process where a laser beam is used to locally melt the surface of the base material and an additive material, usually in powder form, is simultaneously added to the resulting melt pool. The melt solidifies as a result of a relative movement of the cladding head to the coating.

Precisely metered and localized heat input into the component surface results in only a minimal degree of mixing and a perfectly metallurgical bond to the base material. The unsurpassed precision accuracy and very good repeatability enable time-consuming and cost-intensive post-processing steps and masking work to be minimized or even eliminated. The mostly metallic materials can also be applied under industrial production conditions with powder utilization rates of up to 95% and more.

[Frank S]

Looks more like material build up for machining, or hard surfacing. When I hear the word cladding, I'm expecting a micro thin coating such as a plating process.
The only thing I see different here than my metalizing spray torch system is possibly more localized heat due to the laser as opposed to flame, and possibly a higher deposit percentage, that plus being 10s of thousands of dollars more expensive for the machine.