Failure analysis of the exhaust valve face in diesel marine engine

The exhaust valve from marine diesel engine which was damaged after 2000 hours of service was investigated. In order to prolong the service time the valve face was cladded with cobalt base alloy using laser technique. After failure microstructural and chemical analyses reviled that cladding process was conducted improperly. The chemical composition of the clad layer was far from the designed one and what more completely inhomogeneous. As a result the valve presented different properties in different regions which led to premature failure.