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The advent of higher average powers, improved
beam focusing systems and better beam quality has led to power
density sufficient to overcome the high surface reflectivity of
aluminium. Some alloys are prone to cracking, but optimisation
of the welding conditions and use of filler wire can eliminate
this problem. Wire feed is also used for improving weld metal
properties and tolerance to joint fit-up.
Porosity can also occur when laser welding aluminium, predominantly due to hydrogen entrapment in the molten pool. However, this can be minimised by correct cleaning and adequate shielding during welding. |
Applications for AluminiumCurrent and future industrial applications of aluminium laser welding includes fast ferries (catamarans), aluminium car components (e.g. Audi A2) and airframe structures. |
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Benefits of Laser Welding
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Thickness mm |
CO2 laser | Nd:YAG laser | ||
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Power kW |
Speed m/min |
Power kW |
Speed m/min |
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2 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
2 | 4 | 5 | ||
6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0.5 |
6 | 10 | 6 |
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The carbon dioxide (CO2 ) gas laser, is one of the most versatile for materials processing applications, and emits infra red radiation with a wavelength between 9 and 11µm, although emission at 10.6µm is the most widely used. Of the several types of CO2 laser that are available, the waveguide, the low power sealed tube and the transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) lasers are used for small scale materials processing applications. The fast axial flow CO2 laser and the less widely used slow flow laser, are used for thick section cutting 1-15mm and deep penetration welding. While these lasers share the same active medium, they have important functional characteristics, which contribute to the wide range of CW (continuous wave) powers, pulse powers and pulse durations available from the CO2 laser.
The active medium in a CO2 laser is a mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and (generally) helium. It is the carbon dioxide which produces the laser light, while the nitrogen molecules help excite the CO2 molecules and increase the efficiency of the light generation processes. The helium plays a dual role in assisting heat transfer from the gas caused by the electric discharge used to excite the gas, and also helps the CO2 molecules to return to the ground state.
Fig. 1 Sealed tube CO 2 laser schematic |
Fig. 2 Waveguide CO 2 laser schematic |
Fig. 3 TEA CO 2 laser schematic |
Reflective mirrors | - silicon with high reflectivity coatings, gold coated copper. |
Lenses and windows | - gallium arsenide and germanium (not transparent in visible region) and coated zinc selenide (orange in the visible region). |
Wallplug Efficiency | between 5% and 20% |
beam diameter (mm) | beam divergence (mrads) | |
Sealed tube: | 1 - 7 | 2 - 6 |
Waveguide: | 1 - 2 | 3 - 10 |
TEA: | 4 - 12 | 0.5 - 3 |
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Because of the wide range of applied power and power densities available from Nd:YAG lasers, different welding methods are possible. If the laser is in pulsed mode, and if the surface temperature is below the boiling point, heat transport is predominantly by conduction and a conduction limited weld is produced. If the applied power is higher (for a given speed), boiling begins in the weld pool and a deep penetration weld can be formed. After the pulse, the material flows back into the cavity and solidifies. Both these methods can be used to produce spot welds. A seam weld is produced by a sequence of overlapping deep penetration 'spot' welds or by the formation of a continuous molten weld pool. For the former, once the energy input is sufficient to ensure that the weld does not solidify between pulses, the 'keyhole' type weld normally associated with CO2 laser welding can be formed. Pulsed laser welding is normally used at thicknesses below about 3mm. Higher power 4-10kW CW Nd:YAG lasers are capable of keyhole type welding in materials from 0.8mm (car body steel) to 15mm (ship steel) thickness.
Nd:YAG laser welding is used commercially on a wide range of C-Mn steels, coated steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys, titanium and molybdenum. The low heat input welding offered by Nd:YAG lasers is utilised in the electronics, packaging, domestic goods and automotive sectors, and significant interest has been shown more recently, particularly for the high power CW lasers, in the shipbuilding, oil and gas, aerospace and yellow goods sectors. Important R&D issues involve development of high power lasers of better beam quality, use of distributed energy in the beam focus, weld quality maintenance for both thick and thin sections and weld classification.
The principal risks involved in Nd:YAG laser welding are: optical (the beam can burn the skin or damage the retina if focused by the eye), electrical, and fume generation. A current application issue is safe use of Nd:YAG lasers in anything other than a fully opaque (to the Nd:YAG laser wavelength) enclosure, such as might be found in a shipyard for example.
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