Gap Bridging Ability in Laser GMA Hybrid Welding of Thin 22MnB5 Sheets

Abstract

In this paper, laser GMA hybrid welding of thin ultra-high-strength steel sheets (22MnB5) is investigated. A single-mode laser beam oscillating transversal to the welding direction is used in order to minimize the heat input during the process. The sheets have a thickness of 1.5 mm each and are fixed in overlap configuration. The gap between the sheets was 0.8 mm during experiments in order to simulate typical gap width in industrial manufacturing processes. It is shown that a stable weld seam has been achieved for this gap width in case of a welding speed of 6 m/min. The gap bridging ability is caused by the interaction of the arc and the laser beam process. The laser beam process produces deeper penetration in the bottom sheet. Thus, the arc is stabilized by the laser beam.

A Study on the Effect of Wire Composition on Welding with Gap and Offset in Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) GMAW

“…Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is the most common method for welding chassis components in the automotive industry 2) . Chassis components vary in geometry and often have a gap 3) . The sudden variation in geometry may often abruptly change the teaching position offsetting the welding torch from the intended location.…”