Cable wires provide a viable technical pathway for the laser additive manufacturing of high-entropy alloys (HEAs). However, the complex interplay of structural and material parameters of cable wires leads to significant variations in molten pool dynamics, which poses challenges to the fabrication of high-quality HEA coatings. To clarify the effects of these key factors on molten pool behavior, a multi-physics numerical model for the laser cladding of Al₅₀Si₆Ti₈Cr₁₂Cu₁₂Ni₁₂ cable wires was established in this study. A dedicated physical model for cable wires was developed, and the Level Set Method was employed to track fluid interfaces throughout the cladding process. Based on the proposed model, the temperature distribution, stress fields, and elemental homogeneity within the molten pool were systematically investigated. The results reveal that chromium (Cr) addition induces a viscosity reduction, and a torsional pitch of ≤4 mm is critical for achieving defect-free, compositionally uniform HEA coatings, which provides novel insights for process optimization and alloy design of cable-wire laser cladding.

Lightweight high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings are highly desirable for advanced surface protection. This study presents a novel fabrication method for Al-Mg-Ti-Cu-Ni-Cr lightweight HEA coatings via laser cladding combined with in situ alloying, using a specially designed cable-type composite wire consisting of an Al-Mg core sheathed with Cu, Ti, Ni, and Cr-Ni wires. The fabricated coatings exhibit homogeneous composition, high microhardness, and excellent corrosion resistance. Notably, the Al_43.5Mg₂Ni₂₈Cu₁₅Ti_11.5 coating achieves a microhardness of 627 HV_0.1 and a corrosion current density of 5.5 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm², while the Al_43.6Mg_2.1Cr_2.5Ni_25.2Cu_15.2Ti_11.4 coating shows 523 HV_0.1 and a lower current density of 2.8 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm². Mechanical analysis reveals that the enhanced hardness stems from synergistic strengthening effects—severe lattice distortion, B2 phase coherent precipitation, and grain refinement. The superior corrosion resistance is primarily attributed to a compact Cr₂O₃ passive film. This work provides a new strategy for designing and additively manufacturing lightweight HEA coatings.