Beam shaping solutions for stable laser welding

Abstract

The laser beam is a highly flexible tool that is used for many material processing applications. New spatial beam shaping technology enables even further functionality to create up to four focal spots in an axial or lateral direction, which enables the distribution of the energy to be tailored. It was shown that certain beam shapes help to suppress spattering and increase the bridgeable gap size during deep penetration laser welding.

Validation of a Theoretical Model for Laser Welding Thermal Field by Multi-Physics Numerical Simulation

“…In the field of joining metallic materials, laser beam welding continues to play a key role due to the concentrated high power density heat input, which allows for a high accuracy in welding thick workpieces in a single pass, producing narrow heat affected zones (HAZs) and limited thermal distortions. For this reason, investigations on the various aspects of laser welding, from the laser-material interaction, to welding phenomena, defect formation mechanisms, and process monitoring and control, always remain subjects of study [1], and new technological solutions continue to arise to improve the efficiency of the process, such as spatial beam shaping, based on multiple focusing which enables one to customize the energy distribution [2], and multiple micro-jet cooling with shielding gas. The latter is very promising in terms of governing the final microstructure of the weld metal deposit, such as in the case of low alloy steel, with significant beneficial effects on the impact toughness of welds [3].…”