DEVICE AND METHOD THE PRODUCTION AND SECONDARY MACHINING OF LAYERS APPLIED BY LASER CLADDING

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for laser cladding, a method (100) for operating such a device, and a component (4′) produced using such a method and/or such a device comprising a laser cladding unit (2) having at least one laser cladding head (3) disposed thereon, one or more material sources (5) for supplying the laser cladding head with a material (M) to be applied, and a laser beam source (6) for supplying the laser cladding head with laser light (L) for carrying out the laser cladding, wherein the device is configured to apply material layers (42, 43, 44) from an adjacent application cladding track (MS) to a surface (41) of a component (4) in the form of at least a first layer (42) made from a material (M) that comprises structures (42s) projecting from the surface of the first layer and having a first hardness (H1), and a second layer (43) applied thereto made from a material (M) having a second hardness (H2) that is less than the first hardness, and the application process is controlled so that the second layer at least partly covers the structures projecting from the first layer.

Claims

1-37. (canceled)

38. A device (1) for laser cladding comprising a laser cladding unit (2) with at least one laser cladding head (3) arranged thereon, one or more material sources (5) for supplying the laser cladding head (3) with a material (M) to be cladded and a laser beam source (6) for supplying the laser cladding head (3) with laser light (L) for carrying out the laser cladding, wherein the device is configured to carry out the cladding of material layers (42, 43, 44) from adjacent cladding tracks (MS) onto a surface (41) of a component (4) in the form of at least a first layer (42) of a material (M) comprising structures (42s) protruding from the surface of the first layer (42) and having a first hardness (H1) and a second layer (43) of a material (M) cladded thereon and having a second hardness (H2) lower than the first hardness (H1), wherein the cladding process is controlled so that the second layer (43) at least partially covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42).

39. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the material of the second layer (43) is a metal or a metal alloy.

40. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the first layer (42) comprises a composite material (VM) comprising a matrix material (MM) having a third hardness (H3) lower than the first hardness (H1), preferably the first layer (42) consists of the composite material (VM) and the structures (42s) are at least partially embedded in the matrix material (MM).

41. The device (1) according to claim 40, wherein the composite material (VM) is a metal-ceramic composite material comprising grains forming the structures (42s), preferably the grains are carbide, nitride or oxide grains.

42. The device (1) according to claim 40, wherein the material of the second layer (43) is the matrix material (MM) of the first layer (42).

43. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the structures (42s) each have a highest point (P1) and, in a valley between adjacent structures (42s), the adjacent structures (42s) each have a lowest point (P2) associated therewith, wherein a distance between the highest and lowest points (P1, P2) of the respective structure (42s) represents the height (Hs) thereof and the second layer (43) covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42) at least up to 20%, preferably at least 30%, more preferably at least 40%, particularly preferably at least 50%, of the average height (Hs) of all structures (42s).

44. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the second layer (43) completely covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42).

45. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the device (1) further comprises a material removal unit (7) which is provided for at least partially removing the structures (42s) of the first layer (42) protruding from the second layer (43) when the first layer (42) is not completely covered, or when the structures (42s) of the first layer (42) are completely covered by the second layer (43), then to partially remove the second layer (43).

46. The device (1) according to claim 45, wherein the material removal unit (7) is a grinding unit, a milling unit or a laser melting or laser ablation unit.

47. The device (1) according to claim 45, wherein the material removal unit (7) is arranged on the laser cladding head (2) behind the laser cladding head (3) as seen in the feed direction (VR) of the laser cladding head (3).

48. The device (1) according to claim 45, wherein the structures (42s) of the first layer (42) protruding from the second layer (43) are at least partially removed by these (42s) being vaporized or melted by the material removal unit (7).

49. The device (1) according to claim 48, wherein as the material removal unit (7) the laser cladding head (3) is used.

50. The device (1) according to claim 45, wherein when the first layer (42) is completely covered by the second layer (43), the latter is removed over the entire surface by the material removal unit (7) at least until reaching the structures (42s).

51. The device (1) according to claim 50, wherein the material removal unit (7) is configured to stop the removing when at least the highest or some of the highest structures (42s) protruding from the surface of the first layer (42) are reached by the material removal unit (7) as a result of the removing process.

52. The device (1) according to claim 50, wherein the material removal unit (7) comprises a sensor (71) which, during the removing process, detects a transition (U) between the sole removal of the material with second hardness (H2) to an at least partial removal of the structures (42s) with first hardness (H1).

53. The device (1) according to claim 52, wherein the sensor (71) is configured to detect the changing mechanical, optical and/or acoustic properties of the material to be removed at the transition (U).

54. The device (1) according to claim 52, wherein the sensor (71) is a force sensor, a torque sensor, a rotation speed sensor, a surface roughness sensor, an optical, tactile, capacitive, inductive or acoustic sensor.

55. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the device (1) comprises a plurality of laser cladding heads (3) for (quasi-) simultaneous cladding of material (M) on the surface (41) of a component (4), all of which are supplied in the device (1) with the material (M) to be cladded and with laser radiation (L) for carrying out the laser cladding.

56. The device (1) according to claim 55, wherein the laser cladding points (31) produce cladding tracks (MS) with a material width along the feed direction (VR) on the surface (41), in which a first offset (R1) of adjacent laser cladding points (31) is between 10% and 90%, preferably between 40% and 60%, particularly preferably 50%, of the material width of the cladding track (MS).

57. The device (1) according to claim 55, wherein the adjacent laser cladding points (31) on the surface (41) of the component (4) have a second offset (R2) relative to one another in the feed direction (VR).

58. The device (1) according to claim 38, wherein the device (1) is configured to be cladded at least a third layer (44) between the component (4) and the first layer (42).

59. A method (100) for operating a laser cladding device (1) according to claim 38, having a laser cladding unit (2) having at least one laser cladding head (3) arranged thereon for cladding material (M) in the form of one or more adjacent cladding tracks (MS) onto a surface (41) of a component (4) to produce resulting layers of material (42, 43, 44), one or more material sources (5) for supplying the laser cladding head (3) with the material (M) to be cladded and a laser beam source (6) for supplying the laser cladding head (3) with laser light (L) for carrying out the laser cladding, and a material removal unit (7) for processing the cladded material, comprising the following steps: cladding (110) at least a first layer (42) of a material comprising structures (42s) protruding from the surface (41) of the first layer (42) and having a first hardness (H1); cladding (120) a second layer (43) of a material having a second hardness (H2) less than the first hardness (H1), wherein a layer thickness (D43) of the second layer (43) is such that the second layer (43) at least partially covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42).

60. The method (100) according to claim 59, wherein the structures (42s) each have a highest point (P1) and, in a valley between adjacent structures (42s), the adjacent structures (42s) each have a lowest point (P2) associated therewith, wherein a distance between the highest and lowest points (P1, P2) of the respective structure (42s) representing its height (Hs), the cladding (120) of the second layer (43) is carried out until the second layer (43) covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42) at least up to 20%, preferably at least 40%, more preferably at least 60%, particularly preferably at least 80%, of the average height (Hs) of all structures (42s), alternatively the second layer (43) also completely covering the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42).

61. The method (100) according to claim 60, comprising the further step: At least partially removing (130) the structures (42s) of the first layer (42) protruding from the second layer (43) by a material removal unit (7) in case the structures (42s) are not completely covered by the second layer (43), or partially removing (140) the second layer (43) by means of the material removal unit (7) in the case of complete covering of the structures (42s) of the first layer (42) by the second layer (43).

62. The method (100) according to claim 61, wherein the removing (130) of the structures (42s) is carried out by the material removal unit (7) vaporising or melting the structures (42s), preferably the laser cladding head (3) is used as the material removal unit (7) for this purpose, or the removing (140) of the second layer (43) is carried out by the material removal unit (7) removing the second layer (43) over the entire surface at least until the structures (42s) are reached.

63. The method (100) according to claim 62, comprising the further step of: Stopping (150) the removing (140) of the second layer (43) when at least the highest or some of the highest structures (42s) protruding from the surface of the first layer (42) are reached by the material removal unit (7) as a result of the removing process (130).

64. The method (100) according to claim 60, comprising the further step of detecting (160), by means of a sensor (71) of the material removal unit (7), a transition (U) in the removing process (140) between the removing of the material with second hardness (H2) alone to an at least partially removing of the structures (42s) with first hardness (H1).

65. The method (100) according to claim 64, wherein for this purpose the sensor (71) detects at the transition (U) the changing mechanical, optical and/or acoustic properties of the material to be removed.

66. The method (100) according to claim 59, wherein the method comprises, before cladding (110) the first layer (42), the further step of cladding (170) a third layer (44) or further layers onto the component (4), onto which the first layer (42) is then cladded.

67. The method (100) according to claim 59, wherein the material removal unit (7) moves over the surface (41) of the component (4) in a manner analogous to the laser cladding head (3).

68. The method (100) according to claim 59, comprising using a plurality of laser cladding heads (3) in the device (1) for cladding (110, 120, 170) the material (M), wherein all laser cladding heads (3) in the device (1) are supplied with the material (M) to be cladded and with laser radiation (L) for carrying out the laser cladding.

69. A component (4′) having a surface (41) on which a first layer (42) of a material (M) comprising structures (42s) protruding from the surface of the first layer (42) and having a first hardness (H1) is cladded by means of a device (1) according to claim 38, and wherein a second layer (43) of a material (M) having a second hardness (H2) lower than the first hardness (H1) is cladded on the first layer (42), wherein the second layer (43) at least partially covers the structures (42s) protruding from the first layer (42), and a surface of the second layer (43) or the structures (42s), respectively, has been shaped after the application of the first and second layers (42, 43) in such a way that the structures (42s) no longer protrude from the second layer (43).

70. The component (4′) according to claim 69, wherein the material of the second layer (43) is a metal or a metal alloy.

71. The component (4′) according to claim 68, wherein the first layer (42) comprises a composite material (VM) comprising a matrix material (MM) having a third hardness (H3) less than the first hardness (H1), preferably the first layer (42) consists of composite material (VM) where the structures (42s) are embedded in the matrix material (MM).

72. The component (4′) according to claim 71, wherein the composite material (VM) is a metal-ceramic composite material comprising grains forming the structures (42s), preferably the grains are carbide, nitride or oxide grains.

73. The component (4′) according to claim 71, wherein the material of the second layer (43) is the matrix material (MM) of the first layer (42).

74. The component (4′) according to claim 38, wherein a third layer (44) is cladded on the surface (41) on which the first layer (42) is cladded.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0053] These and other aspects of the invention are shown in detail in the figures as follows.

[0054] FIG. 1: an embodiment of the laser cladding device according to the invention;

[0055] FIG. 2: a side view of the component (a) with the first layer and the structures protruding therefrom and (b) after partial covering of these structures by the second layer;

[0056] FIG. 3: a further embodiment of the laser cladding device according to the invention with a material removal unit for protruding structures to be removed from the second layer;

[0057] FIG. 4: a further embodiment of the laser cladding device according to the invention with a material removal unit for removing the second layer which completely covers the protruding structures;

[0058] FIG. 5: a further embodiment of the device for laser cladding according to the invention with a material removal unit using several laser cladding heads for (quasi-) simultaneous cladding of the material on components with a planar surface;

[0059] FIG. 6: a further embodiment of the device according to the invention for laser cladding with material removal unit using several laser cladding heads for (quasi-) simultaneous cladding of the material on components with a cylindrical surface; and

[0060] FIG. 7: an embodiment of the method for operating the device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0061] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention for laser cladding, having a laser cladding unit 2 with at least one laser cladding head 3 arranged thereon, one or more material sources 5 for supplying the laser cladding head 3 with a material M to be cladded, and a laser beam source 6 for supplying the laser cladding head 3 with laser light L for carrying out the laser cladding, the device being configured to carry out the cladding of material layers 42, 43, 44 from adjacent cladding tracks MS onto a surface 41 of a component 4 in the form of at least a first layer 42 of a material M which comprises structures 42s protruding from the surface of the first layer 42 and having a first hardness H1 and a second layer 42 cladded thereon of a material M having a second hardness H2 less than the first hardness H1, the cladding process being controlled in such a way that the second layer 43 at least partially covers the structures 42s protruding from the first layer 42. Here, the material of the second layer 43 may be a metal or a metal alloy. In this case, the first layer 42 may comprise a composite material VM comprising a matrix material MM having a third hardness H3 lower than the first hardness H1. Preferably, the first layer 42 comprises the composite material VM and the structures 42s are at least partially embedded in the matrix material MM. The composite material VM may be a metal-ceramic composite material comprising grains forming the structures 42s, preferably the grains are carbide grains. The material of the second layer 43 may also be the matrix material MM of the first layer 42.

[0062] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the component 4 (a) with the first layer 42 and the structures 42s protruding therefrom and (b) after partial covering of these structures 42s by the second layer 43. The structures 42s each have a highest point P1 and, in the valley between adjacent structures 42s, the structures 42s adjoining the valley there each have a lowest point P2 assigned to them, a distance between the highest and lowest points P1, P2 of the respective structure 42s representing its height Hs and the second layer 43 protruding from the first layer 42 covering the structures 42s at least up to 20%, preferably at least 30%, more preferably at least 40%, particularly preferably at least 50%, of the average height Hs of all structures 42s. In this case, the structures 42s generally all have different heights Hs, the covering referring to an average height. Thus, Individual structures 42s can exist which, with an average cover of, for example, 50%, still protrude more than 50% from the second layer 43. On the other hand, other structures 42s are covered by more than 50% by the second layer 43, resulting in an average degree of coverage of, for example, 50%. However, the second layer 43 may also completely cover the structures 42s protruding from the first layer 42. In the case of carbide grains in a metal-ceramic composite material, these grains can reach heights Hs of approximately 100 μm.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 for laser cladding according to the invention with a material removal unit 7 for removing the structures 42s also protruding from the second layer 43, which is provided for at least partially removing the structures 42s of the first layer 42 protruding from the second layer 43 when the first layer 42 is not completely covered. In this case, the material removal unit 7 is, for example, a laser melting or laser ablation unit, the material removal unit 7 being arranged on the laser cladding head 2 behind the laser cladding head 3, as seen in the feed direction VR of the laser cladding head 3. As a result, the structures 42s of the first layer 42 protruding from the second layer 43 are vaporised or melted by the material removal unit 7 and thus removed to such an extent that they no longer protrude from the second layer 43. In the example shown here, only stubs of the needles 42s remain in the second layer 43, so that the surface of the second layer 43 has a low surface roughness after reworking by the material removal unit 7. In a preferred embodiment, the laser cladding head 3 is used as the material removal unit 7.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 for laser cladding according to the invention with a material removal unit 7 for removing the second layer 43 which completely covers the protruding structures 42s, whereby here the second layer 43 is only partially removed until it reaches the structures 42s, but it is removed over the entire surface. The material removal unit 7 can be a grinding unit or a milling unit. The material removal unit is configured to stop the removing process when at least the highest or some of the highest structures 42s protruding from the surface of the first layer 42 are reached by the material removal unit 7 as a result of the removing process. For this purpose, the material removal unit 7 comprises a sensor 71 which, during the removing process, detects a transition U between the sole removing of the material with second hardness H2 to an at least partial removing of the structures 42s with first hardness H1, for which purpose it detects the mechanical, optical and/or acoustic properties of the material to be removed which change at the transition U. The sensor 71 may be, for example, a force sensor, a torque sensor, a rotation speed sensor, a surface roughness sensor, an optical sensor or an acoustic sensor. Furthermore, it is shown here that at least a third layer 44 is cladded between the component 4 and the first layer 42, where the device 1 is also configured to be cladded. This third layer 44 may also be additionally present in all other embodiment examples.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention for laser cladding with material removal unit 7 using several laser cladding heads 3 for (quasi-) simultaneous cladding of the material M on components 4 with a planar surface 41. For this purpose, the device 1 supplies all laser cladding heads 3 with the material M to be cladded and with laser radiation L for carrying out the laser cladding. The laser cladding points 31 thereby generate cladding tracks MS with a material width along the feed direction VR on the surface 41, in which a first offset R1 of adjacent laser cladding points 31 is between 10% and 90%, preferably between 40% and 60%, particularly preferably 50%, of the material width of the cladding track MS. Furthermore, the adjacent laser cladding points 31 on the surface 41 of the component 4 have a second offset R2 from one another in the feed direction VR. Here, the component 4 in the form of a brake disc comprises a circular surface 41 with an axis of rotation D perpendicular to the surface 41 onto which the material is cladded. In this case, the brake disc 4 could be mounted on a rotary table by means of the screw holes (four points around the centre), by means of which the brake disc 4 is rotated about the axis of rotation D. To clad 110, 120, 170 the material M, the circular surface 41 is rotated about the axis of rotation D under the laser cladding heads 3 so that their laser cladding point 31 on the circular surface 41 would sweep the surface 41 in a circular manner when the laser cladding head 3 is stationary, and the laser cladding heads 3 are simultaneously moved in the direction of the axis of rotation D so that the material M is cladded in a spiral cladding track MS over the area of the circular surface 41. In this case, the material removal unit 7 extends over the entire radius of the surface 41 and, if necessary, moves subsequently over the surface 41 in analogy to the laser cladding points 31. Alternatively, at least one of the several laser cladding heads 3 can also be configured to be operated as a material removal unit 7.

[0066] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention for laser cladding with material removal unit 7 using several laser cladding heads 3 for (quasi-) simultaneous cladding of the material M on components 4 with a cylindrical surface 41 in the example as a shaft for rotationally symmetrical components 4 with the dynamic behaviour of the laser cladding points 31 during laser cladding of a device 1 according to the invention in this embodiment with three laser cladding heads 3 and a material removal unit 7. The three laser cladding heads 3 (indicated here as laser cladding points 31) (quasi-) simultaneously clad material M onto the surface 41 of the component 4, wherein the laser cladding heads 3 each generate a laser cladding point 31 on the surface 41 of the component 4 and adjacent laser cladding points have a first offset R1 from one another perpendicular to a feed direction VR of the laser cladding points 31 on the surface 41 of the component 4. In this case, each laser cladding head 3 clads the cladding track MS generated by it at least partially overlapping the adjacent cladding tracks MS generated by the other laser cladding heads 3, so that the material M is cladded over an area on the surface 41. In addition, the adjacent laser cladding points 31 on the surface 41 of the component 4 have a second offset R2 from one another in the feed direction VR, on the one hand in order to be able to control the heat transfer to adjacent cladding tracks MS and, on the other hand, in order not to have to arrange the laser cladding heads 3 too close to one another for geometric reasons. Here, the shaft 4 comprises a rotationally symmetrical surface 41 with an axis of rotation D parallel to the surface 41 onto which the material is cladded. For cladding 110, 120, 170, the rotationally symmetrical surface 41, preferably the cylindrical surface of the shaft 4, is rotated about the axis of rotation RB under the three laser cladding heads 3 so that their laser cladding point 31 on the rotationally symmetrical surface 41 would run over the surface 41 in a circle when the laser cladding head 3 is at rest; and the laser cladding heads 3 are moved in the feed direction VR parallel to the axis of rotation RB so that the material M is cladded in a spiral cladding track MS over the surface of the rotationally symmetrical surface 41. In this case, the material removal unit 7 extends over the entire radius of the surface 41 and, if necessary, moves subsequently over the surface 41 in analogy to the laser cladding tracks 31. The first offset R1 of adjacent laser cladding tracks 31 can be between 10% and 90%, preferably between 40% and 60%, particularly preferably 50%, of the material width MB of the cladding track MS. The second offset R2 is set in such a way that temperature profiles induced by the laser cladding points 31 on the surface 41 overlap to such an extent that the material M in an overlap region of adjacent cladding tracks MS still has a residual heat that is usable/beneficial for the process. Alternatively, at least one of the several laser cladding heads 3 can be configured to be operated as a material removal unit 7.

[0067] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the method according to the invention for operating the device according to the invention for laser cladding in accordance with one of the preceding claims, having a laser cladding unit 2 with at least one laser cladding head 3 arranged thereon for cladding material M in the form of one or more adjacent cladding tracks MS onto a surface 41 of a component 4 in order to produce resulting material layers 42, 43, 44, one or more material sources 5 for supplying the laser cladding head 3 with the material M to be cladded and a laser beam source 6 for supplying the laser cladding head 3 with laser light L for carrying out the laser cladding and a material removal unit 7 for processing the cladded material, comprising the following steps of cladding 110 at least a first layer 42 of a material which comprises structures 42s protruding from the surface 41 of the first layer 42 and having a first hardness H1; cladding 120 a second layer 43 of a material having a second hardness H2 less than the first hardness H1, a layer thickness D43 of the second layer 43 being dimensioned such that the second layer 43 at least partially covers the structures 42s protruding from the first layer 42; the at least partially removing 130 of the structures 42s of the first layer 42 protruding from the second layer 43 by a material removal unit 7 in the case of incomplete covering of the structures 42s by the second layer 43, or the partially removing 140 of the second layer 43 by means of the material removal unit 7 in the case of complete covering of the structures 42s of the first layer 42 by the second layer 43. In this case, the removing 130 of the structures 42s can be carried out by the material removal unit 7 vaporising or melting the structures 42s, preferably the laser cladding head 3 is used as the material removal unit 7 for this purpose. Alternatively, when the structures 42s are completely covered, the removing 140 of the second layer 43 is carried out by the material removal unit 7 removing the full surface of the second layer 43 at least until the structures 42s are reached, wherein a stopping 150 of the removing 140 of the second layer 43 takes place when at least the highest or some of the highest structures 42s protruding from the surface of the first layer 42 are reached by the material removal unit 7 as a result of the removing process 130. For this purpose, the method comprises the further step of detecting 160, by means of a sensor 71 of the material removal unit 7, a transition U in the removing process 140 between the sole removing of the material with second hardness H2 to an at least partially removing of the structures 42s with first hardness H1. If the transition U has not yet been reached (“N”), the removing process is continued. If, on the other hand, the transition has been reached (“J”), the removing process is stopped. For this purpose, the sensor 71 can detect the changing mechanical, optical and/or acoustic properties of the material to be removed at the transition U. In some embodiments, prior to cladding 110 the first layer 42, the method comprises the further step of cladding 170 a third layer 44 or further layers onto the component 4, onto which the first layer 42 is then cladded. It is also advantageous for an effective manufacturing process if the material removal unit 7 moves over the surface 41 of the component 4 in the same way as the laser cladding head 3. The laser cladding process can be shortened in terms of time by using several laser cladding heads 3 in the device 1 for a (quasi-) simultaneous material cladding, whereby all laser cladding heads 3 in the device 1 are supplied with the material M to be cladded and with laser radiation L for carrying out the laser cladding. The product produced by the method according to the invention is a component 4′ having a surface 41 on which a first layer 42 of a material M comprising structures 42s protruding from the surface of the first layer 42 and having a first hardness H1 is cladded, and wherein a second layer 43 of a material M having a second hardness H2 smaller than the first hardness H1 is cladded on the first layer 42, wherein the second layer 43 at least partially covers the structures 42s protruding from the first layer 42, and wherein a surface of the second layer 43 or the structures 42s, respectively, have been shaped after application of the first and second layers 42, 43 such that the structures 42s no longer protrude from the second layer 43. For further details of the first, second and possibly third layer, see the description of FIG. 1.

[0068] It is understood that the embodiment example explained above is only a first embodiment of the present invention. In this respect, the embodiment of the invention is not limited to this embodiment example.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0069] 1 laser cladding device according to the invention [0070] 2 laser cladding unit [0071] 3 laser cladding head [0072] 31 laser cladding point [0073] 4 component at the start of laser cladding [0074] 4′ component with cladded layers [0075] 41 surface of the component [0076] 42 first layer [0077] 42s structures protruding from the first layer [0078] 42b post-treated structures protruding from the first layer [0079] 43 second layer [0080] 44 third layer material source [0081] 6 laser beam source [0082] 7 material removal unit [0083] 71 sensor of the material removal unit [0084] 100 method according to the invention for operating a device for laser cladding [0085] 110 cladding at least a first layer onto the surface of the component [0086] 120 cladding of a second layer onto the first layer [0087] 130 at least partially removing of the structures protruding from the second layer by means of the material removal unit [0088] 140 partially removing of the second layer by means of the material removal unit [0089] 150 stopping the removing process [0090] 160 recognising a transition in the removing process between the sole removing of the material with second hardness to an at least partially removing of the structures with first hardness [0091] 170 cladding of a third layer between component and first layer [0092] D axis of rotation of the component during laser cladding [0093] D43 thickness of the second layer [0094] H1 first hardness of the structures protruding from the first layer [0095] H2 second hardness of the second layer [0096] H3 third hardness of the matrix material [0097] Hs height of the structure [0098] M material to be cladded/cladded material [0099] MM matrix material of the composite material of the first layer [0100] MS cladding track of the cladded material on the surface of the component or layer of cladded material [0101] L laser light [0102] P1 highest point of a structure [0103] P2 lowest point of a structure [0104] R1 first offset of adjacent laser cladding points perpendicular to the feed direction [0105] R2 second offset of adjacent laser cladding points to each other in feed direction [0106] RB rotation of the component during laser cladding [0107] U transition between the sole removing of the material with second hardness to an at least partially removing of the structures with first hardness [0108] VM composite material of the first layer of matrix material and structures in the matrix material [0109] VR feed direction of the laser cladding head