Mechanism and Numerical Simulation Analysis of Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Laser Polishing 304 Stainless Steel

The morphology of the molten pool plays a crucial role in determining the surface quality of components during laser polishing of 304 stainless steel. Lens ultrasonic vibration significantly impacts the formation of the molten pool during ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser polishing. In this paper, experimental and numerical simulations were applied to investigate the surface properties of ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser polishing. A comparison was conducted between traditional laser polishing and ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser polishing in terms of the difference in peak temperature of the molten pool. The molten pool morphology obtained from the simulation is compared with the experiment results to verify the accuracy of the established model. Consequently, the model exhibits high precision and versatility, allowing for flexibility applied to laser polishing of other systems or materials. The dynamic changes of the temperature field, force field, and velocity field in the molten pool were discussed in detail to reveal the mechanism by which ultrasonic vibration influences. This research work contributes to understanding and guiding the surface formation during ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser polishing of 304 stainless steel.