Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Laser beam welding
Summary
Laser beam welding (LBW) is a welding technique used to join pieces of metal or thermoplastics through the use of a laser. The beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for narrow, deep welds and high welding rates. The process is frequently used in high volume and precision requiring applications using automation, as in the automotive and aeronautics industries. It is based on keyhole or penetration mode welding.
Like electron-beam welding (EBW), laser beam welding has high power density (on the order of 1 MW/cm2) resulting in small heat-affected zones and high heating and cooling rates. The spot size of the laser can vary between 0.2 mm and 13 mm, though only smaller sizes are used for welding. The depth of penetration is proportional to the amount of power supplied, but is also dependent on the location of the focal point: penetration is maximized when the focal point is slightly below the surface of the workpiece
A continuous or pulsed laser beam may be used depending upon the application. Millisecond-long pulses are used to weld thin materials such as razor blades while continuous laser systems are employed for deep welds.
LBW is a versatile process, capable of welding carbon steels, HSLA steels, stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium. Due to high cooling rates, cracking is a concern when welding high-carbon steels. The weld quality is high, similar to that of electron beam welding. The speed of welding is proportional to the amount of power supplied but also depends on the type and thickness of the workpieces. The high power capability of gas lasers make them especially suitable for high volume applications. LBW is particularly dominant in the automotive industry.
Some of the advantages of LBW in comparison to EBW are:
the laser beam can be transmitted through air rather than requiring a vacuum
the process is easily automated with robotic machinery
x-rays are not generated
LBW results in higher quality welds
A derivative of LBW, laser-hybrid welding, combines the laser of LBW with an arc welding method such as gas metal arc welding.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related courses (3)
MSE-464: Assembly techniques
Introduction to the assembly of materials by homogeneous or heterogeneous joints (welding, bonding, mechanical assembly). Mechanical and environmental resistance of joints.
MICRO-520: Laser microprocessing
The physical principles of laser light materials interactions are introduced with a large number of industrial application examples. Materials processing lasers are developing further and further, the
CIVIL-235: Design of steel structures
Ce cours permet de maitriser les aspects fondamentaux et pratiques du dimensionnement des structures en acier. Il traite des poutres, des poteaux, des assemblages, des cadres, des systèmes porteurs et
Related lectures (16)
Liquid State Welding: Fundamentals and Techniques
Explores the fundamentals and techniques of liquid state welding, covering various advanced methods and welding processes.
Polymer Welding Techniques
Explores polymer welding techniques such as hot plate, ultrasonic, and laser welding, highlighting their applications and pros and cons.
Solid State Welding: Assembly Techniques
Covers solid state welding techniques, including friction welding and ultrasonic welding, as well as specific processes like friction depositing and wire bonding in electronics.
Related publications (44)
Related people (11)
Related units (1)
Related concepts (2)
Welding
Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by using high heat to melt the parts together and allowing them to cool, causing fusion. Welding is distinct from lower temperature techniques such as brazing and soldering, which do not melt the base metal (parent metal). In addition to melting the base metal, a filler material is typically added to the joint to form a pool of molten material (the weld pool) that cools to form a joint that, based on weld configuration (butt, full penetration, fillet, etc.
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia, and chlorine. Titanium was discovered in Cornwall, Great Britain, by William Gregor in 1791 and was named by Martin Heinrich Klaproth after the Titans of Greek mythology.