In　this　research　work,　the　parameters　of　the　preset　powder　feeding　laser　cladding　process　of　Ni60A-25%　tungsten　carbide　(WC)　powder　were　optimized　by　using　the　response　surface　methodology　of　the　central　composite　design.　The　dilution　rate　eta　and　unit　effective　area　phi　of　the　laser　cladding　layer　were　considered　as　the　response.　Based　on　the　factors　and　levels　in　the　design　matrix,　the　Ni60A-25%　WC　powder　was　fused　on　the　42CrMo　alloy　structural　steel　substrate　with　the　laser　cladding　process　to　form　a　high-microhardness　cladding　layer.　In　this　work,　the　microstructural　characterization　and　crystal　orientation　analysis　of　the　laser　cladding　layer　obtained　from　the　optimal　process　parameters　were　performed　by　using　a　Field　Emission　Scanning　Electron　Microscope　(FE-SEM)　and　the　Electron　Backscatter　Diffraction　(EBSD)　technique.　The　microhardness　of　the　specimen　processed　with　the　optimal　process　parameters　was　evaluated　using　a　Vickers　microhardness　tester.　The　results　show　the　order　of　influence　of　four　laser　cladding　process　parameters　on　the　dilution　rate　eta　and　unit　effective　area　phi.　The　developed　mathematical　models　for　the　dilution　and　the　unit　effective　area　were　validated.　The　errors　between　the　experimentally　obtained　dilution　rate　eta　and　unit　effective　area　phi　and　predicted　values　were　within　acceptable　limits.　The　EBSD　analysis　revealed　that　there　was　no　meritocratic　orientation　of　the　substrate,　while　the　laser　cladding　layer　showed　a　pronounced　meritocratic　orientation.　A　large　amount　of　martensite　was　produced　within　the　coating　after　the　laser　cladding,　resulting　in　a　significant　increase　in　the　microhardness　compared　with　the　substrate.　The　microhardness　test　results　were　consistent　with　the　microstructure　morphology.