Fundamentals and applications of diode laser welding Available to Purchase

Only imagined a few years ago, meanwhile various surface treatment, joining and even cutting processes applying high power diode lasers (HDL) directly are proven to be feasible. This is seriously noted by industry and in those manufacturing systems, for which the economical and technical advantages of HDL are evident diode lasers are increasingly utilized. This paper is focussing on laser beam welding of metals with HDL. Fundamental effects of laser, gas and material parameters on the process behavior are explained, accompanied by a semi-analytical heat conduction simulation program (LaserWeld3D). Practical results on mild and stainless steel, aluminum and magnesium are demonstrated. The investigations are treating heat conduction welds as well as deep penetration welds with beam powers up to 3 kW, power densities up to 2x10⁵ W/cm² and welding depths up to 6 mm.