To　address　the　wear　failure　of　brake　drum　surfaces　in　band　brakes　caused　by　high-frequency　and　heavy-load　service　conditions　and　to　improve　the　wear　resistance　of　the　brake　drum,　FeCrNi-WC　medium　entropy　alloy　composite　coatings　were　prepared　on　the　surface　of　brake　drum　using　high-speed　laser　cladding.　Additionally,　to　prevent　coating　cracking　and　enhance　microstructural　homogeneity,　the　substrate　was　preheated　at　different　temperatures　(room　temperature,　200　°C,　300　°C,　and　400　°C).　Based　on　the　characterization　and　testing　of　the　coating＇s　phase　structure,　forming　quality,　microstructure,　and　wear　resistance,　the　results　indicated　that　the　primary　phase　of　the　coating　was　an　FCC　solid　solution,　WC,　W2C,　Fe3W3C　and　Cr23C6,　and　the　change　in　substrate　preheating　temperature　did　not　affect　the　primary　phase　structure　of　the　coatings.　As　the　preheating　temperature　increased,　the　number　of　defects　in　the　coating　gradually　decreased.　The　enhanced　dissolution　of　WC　particles　in　the　coatings　promoted　the　precipitation　of　Fe3W3C　eutectic　carbides,　contributing　to　coating　reinforcement.　At　a　preheating　temperature　of　300　°C,　FeCrNi-WC　medium　entropy　alloy　composite　coating　with　no　cracks　and　porosity　and　good　forming　quality　could　be　achieved.　At　this　temperature,　the　hardness　of　the　coating　reached　662.67　HV0.2,　approximately　2.9　times　that　of　the　substrate.　The　excellent　comprehensive　properties　enabled　the　coating　to　form　a　stable　and　dense　tribolayer　during　sliding　wear,　resulting　in　a　low　friction　coefficient　accompanied　by　the　lowest　wear　rate,　with　wear　resistance　improved　by　nearly　two　orders　of　magnitude　compared　to　the　substrate.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.