Why do we need laser for welding?

Traditional welding:
Natural limitations to speed
and productivity
Thicker sections need multipass welds
A large heat input
Results in large and
unpredictable distortions
Very difficult to robotize

Laser beam welding:

High energy density input
process
Precisely controllable
(close tolerence:
0.002 in.)
Low heat input produces
low distortion
Does not require a vacuum
(welds at atmospheric
pressure)
No filler metal required

 The term laser is an acronym for Light

Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

A laser beam is a powerful, narrow, monochromatic
and directional beam of electromagnetic radiation.
Often, these beams are within the visible spectrum
of light.
A laser device excites the atoms in a lasing
medium. The electrons of these atoms move to a
higher orbit, then release photons, creating a laser
beam.

Laser Basics
Light Amplification by
Stimulated Emission of
Radiation

Laser Components
Lasing Medium:

Provides appropriate transition and

Determines the wavelength (it must be in a
metastable state)

Pump:

Provides energy necessary for population

inversion

Optical Cavity:

Provides opportunity for amplification

and Produces a directional beam (with
defined length and transparency)

Properties of Laser
Coherent (synchronized phase
of light)
Collimated (parallel nature of
the beam)
Monochromatic (single
wavelength)
High intensity (~1014W/m2)

Laser beams are used in industry to cut and

weld metal and to survey land and construct

buildings.
In scientific research, they're used in laser
spectroscopy and chemical analysis.
They are used in medical procedures such as
eye, cancer and heart surgery, as well as in
cosmetic procedures. Dental applications
include cavity treatment, nerve regeneration
and reshaping gum tissue.

Laser beams can measure distances with a high

degree of accuracy. Laser scanners in grocery

stores save time in pricing products and in
processing the customer's purchase.
In industry, laser cutting and welding are faster
and more precise than other methods. In
medical and dental procedures, lasers do less
damage than scalpels and drills. Scientific
research using lasers has led to real-world
advances, such as the use of fiber optics in
telephone communications and computer
networking.

When overlaying with a laser an optical

arrangement is used to focus the laser beam on

the work piece and heat it. Simultaneously
hardfacing material in the form of powder is
introduced into the laser beam and melted. Due
to the narrow heat affected zone and the fast
cooling rate the heat input is low, thereby
producing an almost stress free overlay.
The beam is focused towards the joint which

causes the materials to change from solid to

liquid state. Upon cooling it returns to a solid
state.

Low heat input

Fast cooling
Almost stress free overlays
High hardness
Fine microstructure

lasers used for welding

CO2 Laser
Nd3+:YAG Lasers
Lamp-pumped
LampLD-pumped
LD-

Disk Laser
Diode Laser
Fiber Laser

CO2 laser
Thecarbon dioxide laser(CO2 laser)wasoneofthe

earliestgaslaserstobedevelopedin1964[,andisstillone
ofthemostuseful.
Carbondioxidelasersarethehighest-power
continuouswavelasersthatarecurrentlyavailable.They
arealsoquiteefficient:theratioofoutputpowertopump
powercanbeaslargeas20%.
TheCO2laserproducesabeamofinfraredlightwiththe
principalwavelengthbandscenteringaround9.4and10.6
micrometers
CO2 Laser: Characteristics
Wavelength

10.6 m; far-infrared ray

Laser Media CO2N2He mixed gas (gas)

Average
45 kW (maximum)
Power (CW) (Normal) 500 W 10 kW
Merits

Easier high power (efficiency: 10

20%)

YAG Laser

LD-pumped YAG Laser: Characteristics

Lamp-pumped YAG Laser: Characteristics

Wavelength

about 1 m; near-infrared ray

Wavelength

Laser Media

Nd3+ : Y3Al5O12 garnet (solid)

Average
Power

[CW] : 13.5 kW (fiber-coupling

1.06 m; near-infrared ray

Laser Media Nd3+: Y3Al5O12 garnet (solid)

Average
10 kW (cascade type & fiberPower [CW] coupling)
(Normal) 50 W4 kW
Merits

Fiber-delivery, and easier

handling (efficiency: 14%)

YAG Laser Application: Automobile

Industries
Lamppumped

3 to 4.5 kW class; SI fiber

delivered (Mori, 2003)

LD-pumped

2.5 to 6 kW

New
Development

Rod-type: 8 and 10 kW; Laboratory

Prototype

(Bachmann
2004)

Slab-type: 6 kW; Developed by

Precision Laser Machining
Consortium, PLM

max.)

[PW] : 6 kW (slab type max.)

Merits

Fiber-delivery, high brightness,

and high efficiency (1020%)

Disk Laser
Athindiscisusedaslasingmediumitisoftencalledactivemirroras
itisusedasmirrorwithlasergain.Withinresonator,itactsasend
mirror

Disk Laser: Characteristics

Wavelength

1.03 m; near-infrared ray

Laser Media

Yb3+ : YAG or YVO4 (solid)

Average
Power [CW]

6 kW (cascade type max.)

Merits

Fiber-delivery, high
brightness, high
efficiency(1015%)

Fiber Laser
Fiber laser is meant to be lasers with optical fiber as gain medium.Fiber doped with
rare earth ions e.g. erbium, neodymium or ytterbium is used as gain medium and fiber
brag gratings made either directly in doped fiber or in an undopped fiber which is
spliced to an active fiber are commonly used as optical resonator
Fiber Laser: Characteristics
Wavelength 1.07 m; near-infrared ray
Laser
Media

Yb3+ : SiO2 (solid), etc.

Average
20 kW (fiber-coupling max.)
Power [CW]
Merits

Fiber-delivery, high
brightness, high
efficiency(1025%)

Recent Development (Thomy et.al. 2004; and

Ueda 2001):
Fiber lasers of 10kW or more are
commercially available
Fiber lasers of 100kW and more are
scheduled
Fiber laser at 6.9kW is able to provide
deeply penetrated weld at high speed
Fiber laser is able to replace high quality
(slab) CO2 laser for remote or scanning
welding

Types of LBW
Conduction Welding
Description
Heating the workpiece above the melting temperature
without vaporizing
Heat is transferred into the material by thermal
conduction.
Characteristics
Low welding depth
Small aspect ratio (depth to width ratio is around
unity)
Low coupling efficiency
Very smooth, highly aesthetic weld bead
Applications
Laser welding of thin work pieces like foils, wires, thin
tubes, enclosures, etc.

Types of LBW
Keyhole Welding
Description
Heating of the workpiece above the vaporization
temperature and forming of a keyhole
Laser beam energy is transferred deep into the
material via a cavity filled with metal vapor
Hole becomes stable due to the pressure from vapor
generated
Characteristics
High welding depth
High aspect ratio (depth to width
ratio can be 10:1)
High coupling efficiency

Lasers Beam Welding

Schematic
Diagram

Beam
Delivery
unit
Beam Delivery Unit

Laser

Processing
Optics

Workpiece Positioning Unit

 Low possibility of HAZ in the joint

No need for filler metal
Reduce Latency
No tool wear
LBW is not influenced by magnetic fields

 Joints must be accurately positioned

Maximum weld penetration is limited (19-

21mm)
High reflectivity and high thermal
conductivity of materials like Aluminum
effect the weldability of the joint