Abstract
This paper reports the evolving properties of a 3 mm
low carbon steel plate after Laser Beam Forming
process (LBF) To achieve this objective, the chemical analyse
material and the formed components were carried out and compared;
thereafter both were characterized through microhardness profiling,
microstructural evaluation and tensile testing. The chemical analyses
showed an increase in the elemental concentration of the formed
component when compared to the as received material; this can be
attributed to the enhancement property of the LBF process. The
Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and the Vickers microhardness of
the formed component shows an increase when compared to the as
received material, this was attributed to strain hardening and grain
refinement brought about by the LBF process. The microstructure of
the as received steel consists of equiaxed ferrit and pearlite while that of the formed
component exhibits elongated grains.