This paper presents a laser welding process developed for tailored blanks at Nissan. Assurance of weld quality is discussed as a major technical issue that had to be addressed in applying tailored blanks to production vehicles. Tailored blanks are expected to find increased application in the automotive industry as a means of achieving higher safety performance along with weight and cost savings at the same time. As tailored blanks are composed of different materials of varying gages, the combination of the blank design and the manufacturing process is an important factor.

Topics
Welding
1.
W.
Prange
, “
Use of laser welding technology in sheet processing
,” in a seminar text entitled
Applications of Laser Processing in Automobile Fabrication and Related Industries
,
3-4 Dec. 1987
,
Cambridge
.
2.
F.
Natsumi
, “
Laser Welding Technology of Joining Different Sheet Metal for One Piece Stamping
,”
JSAE Review
, Vol.
12
, No.
3
,
1991
.
Google Scholar
 
3.
J. N.
Koons
 and
D. M.
Roessler
, “
Body Sheet Metal Applications of Laser Welding
,”
Proceedings of IBEC’94
,
26
–
29
Sept.
1994
,
Detroit
.
Google Scholar
 
4.
W.
Prange
, “
Tailored Blanks
,”
Proceedings of IBEC’93
,
21
–
23
Sept.
1993
,
Detroit
.
Google Scholar
 
5.
J. S.
Baron
, “
Summary of Tailored-Blank Survey
,” 6 Oct.
1994
.
Google Scholar
 
6.
I.
Miyamoto
 et al, “
In-process Monitoring in Laser Welding of Automotive Parts
,”
Laser Materials Processing
Vol.
77
,
ICALEO’93
(
1993
),
413
–
424
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1996 Laser Institute of America.
1996
Laser Institute of America
You do not currently have access to this content.