Modern

Manufacturing
Processes

Laser Welding
 Why Laser Welding ?

Welding Heat Source Fusion Zone Profile

Process Intensity
W/cm2
Gas Shielded 5 x 102 – 104
Arc (TIG/MIG)
Low High
Plasma Arc 5 x 102 – 106
Low High
Laser or 106 – 108
Electron
Defocus Focus
 Laser
Beam
’Types of Laser Welding Process

’Conduction welding

’Keyhole welding

’Hybrid laser welding

 Laser Welding of workpiece
1. Laser Conduction Welding-
* Joining of thin metal sheets
* Laser power densities: Relatively low < 5x105 W/cm2.
* Two metal surfaces melt and
* Full thickness melts due to heat conduction from top hot surface.
Laser Beam
Solid

Liquid Isotherms

d
t=2√κτ

Conduction Welding κ- Thermal Diffusivity

τ- Laser Interaction Time = Laser pulse duration

= Laser dwell time = Beam diameter d/Welding speed v

In conduction welding the depth to width aspect ration is about 1.5.

2. Deep Penetration / Keyhole Welding
Thicker sheets (>3mm):
Higher Laser Power
At intensities > 106 W/cm2, a small
amount of metal vaporizes & plasma is
formed.
Escaping vapour exerts a recoil pressure
on the molten pool creating a key hole
Laser beam is absorbed in the hole in
multiple reflections and in metal vapour
plasma and heat is transmitted to the
work-piece through the walls of the hole.
Deep penetratio Welding
Aspect ratio in Keyhole welding = 3-5

Scan velocity determines the shape of keyhole and

cooling rate determines the microstructure of weldmet
Laser Keyhole Deep Penetration Welding

Stability of keyhole is
a major issue :
Instability causes
partial penetration &
entrapment of gas
bubble- porosity
 Operating parameters
• Beam characteristics
• Beam Power & Power Density
• Beam Power distribution, i.e. Mode
• Polarization
• Mode of operation: CW, Pulsed

• Process Parameters
• Beam diameter & focus
• Material Properties • Welding Speed
• Joint Geometries: Butt, Lap… • Shielding / Shroud gas
• Gap Tolerance
Parameter effect: Laser Power Density

Keyhole
welding

Conduction
welding
 Beam Power & Scan speed

1 kW of laser power per mm thickness is needed to weld at 1 m/min.

Energy Balance Equation: A. PL(1-R) =V.w.t. (ρ.[Link] + Lf)
where A = 0.48 to account for conduction loss; V-Welding speed,
w-weld-width, t-weld-thickness & others are material properties.
• Shielding gas properties
– Gas composition, design, pressure, etc.

At higher laser power densities

> 106W/cm2
More intense (larger electron density )
plasma, Expand away from keyhole
Laser power absorbed in plasma head,
thus can’t reach to work-piece:
shallower weld-depth
 Effect of Shielding / Shroud Gas

10 He
Penetration Depth (mm)

N2

5 Decay due to
formation of intense
Air
plasma

0
5 10 15
0
Laser Power kW
Parameter effect: shielding gas
 Effect of Polarization
P-polarization

S-polarization

S- P-
polarization polarization
Beam Quality Focal point position

TEM 00 TEM10
Laser Weld / Joint Geometries
All different types of weld geometries possible with laser:
Butt Joint
Lap Joint
Spot /Lap Weld
T-Joint
Flange Joint d
t
Flare Joint
Gap Tolerance:
g
Laser Welding: “Autogenous” – usually no filler material used
Gap between two parts: Less than half of the laser beam diameter for
efficient laser power coupling, g < 0.5d
Minimum fall in weld level: Weld width
Weld Thickness
Welding Temperature
Thermal Expansion Coefficient
Thumb Rule: Gap less than 10% of weld thickness, g < 0.1t
 Typical shape of Laser Weld

Inverted Wine-bottle shape

Top part- Effect of Conduction,
Plasma formation & heat conduction
Marangoni Force due to variation of
surface tension with temperature.

Surface Shear force due to change in

Surface Tension, σ (MT-2)
Fs = ∂σ/∂x = ∂σ/∂T. ∂T/∂x,

For Ni: ∂σ/∂T = 0.38ergs/ 0C/cm2

∂T/∂x = 2.5x104 0C/cm

Shear Force = 104dynes/cm = 103 Pa =

0.01 atm.
This can produce ~10G acceleration in
a small layer of molten pool
Alloys Laser Welding Characteristics for
Different Alloys
Steels O.K.
Al-alloys Problems :
1. Reflectivity-requires at least 1kW,
2. Porosity,
3. Excessive fluidity-leads to drop out

Ti-Alloys Better than slower process due to less grain

growth
Heat resistant O.K. but
Alloys e.g. 1. Weld is more brittle,
Inconel 718 2. Segregation problem,
(Ni-based alloy) 3. Tendency of crack
Weldability of metallic pairs
Laser Welding Advantages
• Can be used in open air
• Can be transmitted over long distances with a minimal power loss
• Narrow heat affected zone (HAZ)
• Low total thermal input
• Welds dissimilar metals
• No filler metals necessary: Autogenous Weld
• No secondary finishing necessary
• Extremely accurate
• Welds high alloy metals without difficulty

Laser Welding Limitations

• Rapid cooling rate may cause cracking in certain metals
• High capital cost
• High maintenance cost
Laser Welding capability & Comparison with other Welding Processes
Ultrasonic
Micro plasma
2kW Laser
Resistance
Plasma
TIG
Oxy/Acetylene

20kW Laser
MMA
5kW EB
25kW EB
SAW

1.0 10 100

Thickness mm
 Advantage & Disadvantage of LW
Quality Laser Electron Beam TIG Resistance Ultrasonic

Rate G G B G B
Low heat input G G B G G
Narrow HAZ G G B G
Weld bead appearance G G B G
Simple fixturing G B B
Equipment reliability G G G
Deep penetration B G B
Welding in air G B G
Welding magnetic material G B G G G
Weld reflective material B G G G G
Weld heat sensitive material G G B B G

Joint access G B B
Ergonomics G G B B B
Equipment Cost B B G
Applications
Automobile Sector – (> 65% )
¾ Tailored welded blanks for automobile
body blanks.
¾ Welding of Transmission components
– gears, viscous coupling & differentials

Specialized applications
¾ Hydraulic bearing thrust units
¾ Joining of Diamond or WC impregnated steels to tool tips.
¾ Welding of thin fins to high finned tube heat exchangers.
¾ Welding of pipelines
¾ Welding of bimetallic saw blades
¾ Repair of nuclear boiler from inside
¾ Spot welding in TV tubes
¾ Welding of heart-pacemaker
 Laser Hybrid Welding

High joining quality through suitable additives