The 140 mm×10 mm×3 mm laser rapid prototyping Fe-based thin plate containing various Co contents were produced by the ways of off-axis powder feeding

and then the thin plate was treated by heat treatment. The results show that the absence of crack and gas-hole in the laser cladding Fe-based thin plate can be observed

showing acceptable formality. The structure of the thin plate is composed of multi-layer structure with the same features

in which every layer structure consists of parallel dendrite that is perpendicular to the base plate and the interdendritic compound. Hardness and shearing strength of the cladding can reach up to the maximum values of HV37 and 461 MPa

respectively

with 3% Co content as a result of Co promoting the growth of dendrite and the refinement of the interdendritic compound. However

hardness and shearing strength of the plates are decreased after heat treatment due to the decrease of the solution element content. Alternatively

the hardness and strength of the plates are higher than those of 300 ℃ temper

which is attributed to the refinement of structure and new phase precipitation from the structure in the plate after 1050 ℃ quenching plus 600 ℃ tempering.