Laser Beam Welding

By, Ramu Rajendran

Introduction
• LASER – Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
• A coherent, monochromatic electromagnetic radiation.
• Heat from the concentrated LASER beam is impinged on the metal
joint and a fusion weld is obtained.
• No vacuum is required.
• An inert atmosphere is generally provided to avoid contamination.
• Less power than EBW.
• Maximum of 19 mm penetration in single pass welding.
Physics of Laser
• It can propagate over large distances without much divergence.
• It has a very narrow bandwidth
• Emission may be continuous or short or ultra-short pulses.
LASER GENERATION
• A crystal or medium is stimulated by “pumping” using external energy
• External Energy may be electrical, chemical, thermal, optical or
nuclear.
• The medium gets energized – “Population Inversion” occurs.
• Atoms or molecules in the medium are in a higher than normal
energy state.
• These higher energy state produces coherent beams of light, when
moving back to lower energy states.
• This light is oscillated between two mirrors kept at the 2 ends of the
medium.
• Each oscillation results in some GAIN of beam power as well as some
LOSSES.
• When the GAIN is larger than the LOSSES, it is said to have achieved
LASER THRESHOLD.
• Once threshold is achieved the device starts emitting some portion of
the beam through the output coupler.
• LASER light can be focused on to a small point either using lenses or
mirrors.
• LASERs are used for welding, cutting, etching etc.
ADVANTAGES
1. Heat Input is the amount minimum required to fuse the weld metal.
2. Distortion and heat related issues in the HAZ are minimized.
3. No need of conducting electrodes.
4. No tool wear as LBW is a non-contact welding process
5. Readily focused, aligned and directed by optical elements to weld
otherwise inaccessible areas
6. Can be focused on a very small area, permitting joining of closely spaced
small components with small welds
7. A wide variety of materials and combinations can be welded easily.
8. Can be automated with CNC machines
9. No vacuum needed and no X-rays are generated
10. Aspect ratios of 10:1 are attainable by keyhole LBW
LIMITATIONS
1. Joints must be accurately positioned and at a controlled position
with respect to Laser beam focal spot
2. Maximum joint thickness is limited to 19 mm.
3. High reflectivity and high thermal conductivity of materials will
adversely affect the weldability
4. Low energy conversion efficiency
5. Due to rapid cooling of weldment, brittleness and porosity can
occur in the weld.
6. LASER equipment and fixturing cost may be high.
Types of LASERs
• Based on the lasing medium used
1. Solid-state (Nd:YAG LASERs)
2. Gaseous (CO2 Lasers)
3. Direct-diode Lasers
4. Fiber Lasers
Nd:YAG (Solid State)
• Neodimium ion, Nd(+++) ion is used as an active medium.
• It is doped to a host – Glass or YAG Crystal.
• 1.06µm wavelength laser is characteristic of Nd:YAG
• Crystal is excited by using an intense krypton or xenon lamp or using
diode lasers(in recent designs).
• 2 modes – Pulsed Laser or Continuous Laser.
• Pulsed Laser – Pulse width of 25 milliseconds maximum.
• Continuous Laser – greater than 25 milliseconds.
• Using multiple laser rods can give us power levels greater than 1 kW.
• Continuous wave (CW) Nd:YAG are second only to CW gas lasers in
terms of power generation.
• Lamp pumped Nd:YAG are of less efficiency (2%).
• Diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers have 30% efficiency.
• Pulsed Wave Lasers have pulsed pumping.
GAS Lasers
• Electric discharge CO2 lasers are most efficient for welding
applications.
• 3 parts – Optical cavity, Gas Flow Loop, Electric Discharge System.
• Gas mixture of primarily Nitrogen, Helium and small percentage of
CO2.
• Common – (15:80:5)
• “Electric Glow” discharge is used to excite CO2 molecules.
• Gas heating is produced by continuous flow of gas mixture through
optical cavity.
• Classified as per the type of gas flow syste,
• Slow axial, Fast axial, Transverse or Diffusion cooled designs
Slow Axial Flow
Fast Axial
Diffusion Cooled
Transverse Flow
Direct-diode Lasers
• Similar to LED, but coherent and monochromatic with higher power.
• High electrical conversion efficiency.
• Extremely compact.
• Limitation of asymmetrical focal spots and power densities.
• Key hole mode not possible, only conduction mode possible.
Fiber Lasers
• Obtained from telecommunication field.
• Uses diodes to generate the LASER and glass fibers to transmit the
beam.
• Generation also done in the fiber.
• High quality. Ability to focus to a minute point.