Cladding application method and apparatus using hybrid laser process

1. A method for affixing a metal cladding to a metal base, the method comprising:

feeding metal cladding in wire form to a heating device that establishes an arc;

heating the metal cladding to be applied and a surface of the metal base with the arc to create an open molten metal pool having molten metal cladding layered upon molten metal base material in the metal base, wherein a molten surface of the open molten metal pool is open to an environment above the surface of the metal base without another material on a side opposite a side the metal base is located at being in contact with the molten surface except for a cladding material source;

stabilizing a temperature gradient of the molten metal pool by directing a laser beam into the molten metal pool to reduce variations in temperature around the laser beam, the laser beam having an impingement area in the molten metal pool that is offset from an impingement area of the arc in the molten metal pool;

cooling the molten metal pool to affix the metal cladding to the metal base;

providing the arc by one or more of the following processes: gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW);

shielding the arc from a surrounding atmosphere by a gas;

offsetting the laser beam longitudinally a distance S from the arc in a direction parallel to a direction of application of the metal cladding;

offsetting the laser beam laterally from the arc a distance L in a direction perpendicular to the direction of application of the metal cladding;

providing the laser beam by at least one of a Nd:YAG laser, a CO 2 laser, a disk laser, a fibre laser, and any type of laser resonator of sufficient power to stabilize the temperature gradient of the molten metal pool by reducing variations in temperature around the laser beam;

oscillating an impingement area of the laser beam within the molten metal pool;

directing multiple laser beams into different areas the molten metal pool for the stabilizing;

maintaining a constant surface area of the molten metal pool with the laser beam as the metal cladding is being applied to the molten metal pool; and

emitting the laser beam from a laser that is not overpowering such that the laser beam will not create a keyhole into the metal base deeper than a depth of the molten metal pool.