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8 Laser Welding
8.1 Process Description
8.1.1 Introduction

Laser wavelength. Laser intensity (power, spot size or shape, beam quality).

Rate of movement of the beam over the surface. Laser welding was rst demonstrated for thermoplastics in the 1970s, and since the late 1990s it has When laser radiation is absorbed into a polymer surbeen used in mass production. The technique, suitable face, the interaction can be one of two types depending for joining both sheet, lm, molded thermoplastics and on the wavelength: textiles, uses a laser beam to melt the plastic in the joint region. Lasers are well suited to delivering controlled Short wavelength radiation (less than 350 nm or amounts of energy to a precise location due to the ease ultraviolet (UV)) gives rise to photolytic processes of controlling the beam size available (10 m100 mm in which the photon energy is high enough to http://www.download-it.org/learning-resources.php?promoCode=&partnerID=&content=story&storyID=1832 directly break chemical bonds. This is sometimes width), and the range of methods available for precise positioning and movement of the beam. Two general described as cold processing and can be used for forms of laser welding exist: direct laser welding and ablation, chemical curing, or other chemical changes transmission laser welding. such as marking via a color change. Long wavelength radiation (longer than 350 nm and extending into infrared (IR)) gives rise to pyrolytic processes which involve heating. This can be used for melting and hence for welding, or at higher intensity for vaporization or thermal degradation, for example, as used in laser cutting. In addition to energy absorption, polymers also scatter light. This is particularly relevant for semicrystalline polymers where the spherulites are often of a suitable size to scatter UV, visible, or IR radiation. The long wavelength radiation absorption characteristics of a typical polymer are shown in Fig. 8.1,

8.1.2 Interaction of Light with Polymers

When radiation strikes a material surface some energy will be reected, some absorbed, and some transmitted. For laser materials processing the energy must be absorbed efciently in the correct location. The type of interaction of the beam with the surface will depend on the following factors: Type of material and additive content, including the effect of surface coatings.

Excimer Diode Nd:YAG/Fiber Polycarbonate 0.5 mm 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

CO2

% Transmission

11000

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Wavelength (nm) FTIR spectrometer UV/VIS/NIR spectrometer

Figure 8.1. Transmission spectrum for 0.5 mm (0.02 inches) thick polycarbonate showing the major laser types (Source: TWI Ltd).

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JOINING PROCESSES

In direct laser welding (Fig. 8.3) the materials are heated from the outer surface possibly, to a depth of a few millimeters. Normally, no specic radiation absorber is added to the plastics. Laser sources of 2.010.6 m wavelength are typically used. At 10.6 m (CO2 laser), radiation is strongly absorbed by plastic surfaces, PMMA Nylon HDPE PP Carbon filled PP http://www.download-it.org/learning-resources.php?promoCode=&partnerID=&content=story&storyID=1832 allowing high-speed joints to be made in thin lms. 100 Developments have also been made using a CO2 laser transmissive cover sheet as a clamp and heat-sink to 80 make welds in thicker plastics without material loss at the surface. At 2.0 m, where the absorption is less strong, 60 a ber or Holmium:YAG laser can be used to make welds in sheet a few millimeters thick. Direct laser 40 welding is not widely applied for joining plastics, but it 20 has a potential for wider use [13].
Transmission, % 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 Thickness, mm

where it can be seen that there is a band, from approximately 4001600 nm, where there is very little absorption (i.e., high transmission). Diode, ber, and Nd:YAG lasers therefore transmit readily through the polymer and can be used for transmission laser welding. CO2 lasers, however, are absorbed rapidly into the surface and can be used for cutting or lm welding in a direct heating process. Finally, the variation in absorption between different polymers and the effect of additives should be considered. Figure 8.2 shows the transmission properties for different polymers at a range of thicknesses. Semicrystalline polymers such as nylon, PE, and PP show rapidly diminishing transmission with thickness. A small

addition of carbon black pigment reduces the transmission effectively to zero. These effects are important in welding. Carbon black and other IR absorbers can be placed in locations where heating or welding is wanted. This allows transmission laser welding to be carried out if the absorber is in or on the surface of the lower material, but not in the top material.

8.1.3 Direct Laser Welding

8.1.4 Transmission Laser Welding

Figure 8.2. Relationship between laser transmission and thickness for different polymers (Source: TWI Ltd).

Transmission laser welding is now widely used for joining thermoplastics in industry, using laser sources

(a)

(b)

Laser

Clamping rollers

Laser directed into nip between rollers

(c)

Laser

Fabrics with inherent or applied laser absorber

Figure 8.3. Direct laser welding formats: (a) welding into a nip between rollers, (b) butt welding, and (c) overlap lm welding (Source: TWI Ltd).

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8: LASER WELDING

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with wavelengths from 0.81.1 m, such as diode, Nd:YAG, and ber lasers. The radiation at these wavelengths is less readily absorbed by natural plastics. Laser absorbing additives are therefore put into the lower part or applied as a thin surface coating at the joint. The parts are positioned together before welding and the laser beam passes through the upper part to heat the joint at the absorbing surface of the lower part (Fig. 8.4). The absorber in or on the lower plastic is typically carbon or an IR absorber with minimal visible color, such as Clearweld, which allows a wide range of part colors and appearances to be welded. Transmission laser welding is capable of welding thicker parts than direct welding, and since the heat affected zone is conned to the joint Figure 8.5. Parts welded using transmission laser welding region, no marking of the outer surfaces occurs [4]. with carbon black absorber (center) and Clearweld absorber The maximum thickness of the upper part is deter(Source: TWI Ltd). mined by the transmission properties of the material; http://www.download-it.org/learning-resources.php?promoCode=&partnerID=&content=story&storyID=1832 transmission laser welding is only possible if over 10% of the energy is transmitted to the joint interface. 8.2 Advantages and Disadvantages Transmission laser welding can also be used to weld lm and sheet materials. The laser source is scanned The advantages and disadvantages of transmission over the two parts just in advance of clamping, using a laser welding are summarized in Table 8.1. roll-processing method. Examples of transmission laser welded parts are shown in Fig. 8.5.

8.3 Applications

Laser welding is used in a wide range of application areas, including:

Laser beam Transparent to infrared laser Clamping pressure

Electronic packages Textiles Biomedical devices Windows and signs Food and medical packaging Visual displays Automotive components

8.3.1 Film and Sheet

Infrared absorber Weld zone Clamping pressure

Direct laser welding can be used to make small welds in thin materials at high speeds. Figure 8.6 shows an example using a CO2 laser for welding PE lm [1].

Transparent or opaque to infrared laser

8.3.2 Molded Parts

Figure 8.4. Diagram of transmission laser welding, showing the movement of a beam over a workpiece. The lower part can be arranged to be an infrared absorber or the absorber can be placed at the joint interface (Source: TWI Ltd).

Automotive: The use of laser welding in automotive applications has risen rapidly because it allows high speed, automated production, and excellent consistency

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