The laser beam weldability of AZ31B magnesium alloy was examined with high power CW CO2 and pulsed Nd:YAG lasers. The low viscosity and surface tension of the melt pool make magnesium more difficult to weld than steel. Welding parameters necessary to obtain good welds were determined for both CW CO2 and pulsed Nd:YAG lasers. The weldability of the magnesium alloy was significantly better with the Nd:YAG laser. The cause of this improvement was attributed to the higher absorption of the Nd:YAG beam. A lower threshold beam irradiance was required for welding, and a more stable weldpool was obtained.

1.
W. R.
Oates
, editor, Welding Handbook,
Materials and Applications
, pt. 1, Vol.
3
, 8th ed.,
American Welding Society
,
Miami, Florida
,
121
–
162
,
1996
.
Google Scholar
 
2.
L.
Gaines
,
R.
Cuenca
,
F.
Stodolsky
 and
S.
Wu
,
Analysis of the Potential for New Automotive Uses of Wrought Magnesium
, Argonne National Laboratory, Center for Transportation Research, ANL-ESD-35, Argonne, IL, February
1996
.
Google Scholar
 
3.
W. A.
Baeslack
,
S. J.
Savage
, and
F. H.
Froes
:
J. Mater. Sci. Let.
,
1986
, vol.
5
, pp.
935
–
9
.
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
G.
Chen
,
G.
Roth
, and
F.
Maisenhalder
:
Laser and Optoelektronik
,
1993
, vol.
25
, pp.
43
–
7
.
Google Scholar
 
5.
H.
Haferkamp
,
F.
Von Alvensleben
,
I.
Burmester
, and
M.
Niemeyer
:
Proc. ICALEO 97
,
Laser Institute of America, Orlando, FL
,
1997
.
6.
S.
Housh
,
B.
Mikucki
, and
A.
Stevenson
, Properties of Magnesium Alloys in Metals Handbook, 10th Edition, Volume
2
, “
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials
”,
ASM International
,
Materials Park, OH
.
7.
Leong
,
K.H.
,
K.R.
Sabo
,
P.G.
Sanders
, and
W.J.
Spawr
. “
Laser Beam Welding of Aluminum Alloys
.”
SPIE Proceedings, Lasers as Tools for Manufacturing II
. Vol.
2993
:(
1997
).
Google Scholar
 
8.
Toulokian
,
Y.S.
,
Powell
,
R.W.
,
Ho
,
C.Y.
 and
Nicolaou
,
M.C.
 Thermal Conductivity Metallic Elements and Alloys,
Thermophysical Properties of Matter
, Vol.
1
,
New York
:
IFI/Plenum
,
1970
.
Google Scholar
 
9.
T.
Iida
 and
R. I. L.
Guthrie
The Physical Properties of Liquid Metals
,
Clarendon Press
,
Oxford
,
1993
.
Google Scholar
 
10.
Nonhof
,
C. J.
 “
Material processing with Nd-lasers
”.
Electrochemical Publications
,
Ayr, Scotland
,
1988
.
Google Scholar
 
11.
K. H.
Leong
,
H. K.
Geyer
,
K. R.
Sabo
, and
P. G.
Sanders
:
J. Laser Appl.
,
9
,
227
–
232
.
Crossref
Search ADS
 
12.
K. H.
Leong
,
K. R.
Sabo
,
P. G.
Sanders
, and
W. J.
Spawr
 (
1997
)
Laser Beam Welding of Aluminum Alloys
,
SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2993 Lasers as Tools for Manufacturing II
.
Google Scholar
 
13.
W. E.
Forsythe
:
Smithsonian Physical Tables
, 9th ed.,
Smithsonian Institution
,
Washington D.C.
,
1959
.
Google Scholar
 
14.
J.-D.
Kim
,
S.
Katayama
M.
Mizutani
, and
T.
Takemoto
:
Rev. Laser Eng.
,
1996
, vol.
24
, pp.
996
–
1005
.
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1998 Laser Institute of America.
1998
Laser Institute of America
You do not currently have access to this content.