Laser hardening machines
Localised surface hardening with self-quenching and very little distortion.
Machine capability
- Process
- Focused laser beam heating with self-quenching
- Typical hardened depth
- 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, depending on material and settings
- Process temperature
- 850 to 1200 degrees Celsius at the surface
- Quenching
- Self-quenching, no external medium
Explore our workshop gallery, or talk to us about the configuration you need.
Laser hardening heats a surface layer with a focused beam until it reaches austenitising temperature, then lets the cold bulk of the component absorb that heat. The part quenches itself. There is no oil, no polymer and no water, so there is nothing to dispose of and nothing to clean off.
The trade-off is depth and rate. Self-quenching only works while there is enough cold material underneath to take the heat away, which caps the achievable case. Reported hardened depths are typically in the 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm range depending on material and settings, against 0.8 mm to 5 mm for our induction scanner.
So the two processes are not competitors so much as different tools. Laser is the right answer for a small, complex or awkwardly located feature where distortion cannot be tolerated. Induction is the right answer for a shaft, a gear or a ring where you want a deeper case, a faster cycle and a lower cost per part.
We supply induction and laser hardening equipment. We will help you compare both processes against your component, case depth and production requirements.
Technical specifications
- ProcessFocused laser beam heating with self-quenching
- Typical hardened depth0.2 mm to 1.5 mm, depending on material and settings0.008 in to 0.059 in
- Process temperature850 to 1200 degrees Celsius at the surface1562 to 2192 degrees Fahrenheit
- QuenchingSelf-quenching, no external medium
We confirm the final configuration against your component, material and production requirements.
Questions engineers ask
Laser hardening or induction hardening?
Laser for small, localised or complex features where distortion must be minimal and the required case is shallow. Induction for shafts, gears, rings and anything needing a deeper case or a shorter cycle at volume. We supply both, so the question can be answered on the merits of your part.
Tell us about the part.
Send a drawing, the material, the case depth or temperature you need, and your production rate. Our engineers will help define the right machine for your process.