Basic characteristics of CO 2 laser welded 800 MPa class TRIP steel such as defects, microstructure, mechanical properties and formability was investigated. Bead-on-plate welding was carried out under various power, welding speed and shield gas. Porosity fraction reduced with increasing the welding speed and using Ar-He mixed shield gas compared to Ar gas. The maximum hardness was obtained at the weld metal as well as HAZ near the weld metal. The value was the same regardless of welding speed and was nearly equal to that of water quenched raw metal. In the perpendicular tensile test to the weld axis, the joints produced at optimum condition were fractured at the base metal and the tensile property was nearly equal to the raw metal. In a parallel tensile test, the strength of the joints was higher than that of the base metal, but elongation was found to be lower than that of the raw metal because a crack was initiated in the bead at the strength levels corresponding to the tensile strength of the base metal and was propagated perpendicular to tensile direction. Elongation and formability were further improved using low power or ArϩHe mixed gas compared to high power or Ar gas.

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