Laser welding of aluminium alloys is more difficult then laser welding of steel. The main problems associated with laser welding of aluminium alloys in general are high surface reflectivity, thermal conductivity and volatilization of low boiling point constituents. These and other material related properties can lead to difficulties with weld and heat affected zone cracking, degradation in the mechanical properties and inconsistent welding performance. Despite these drawbacks, the laser welding of a range of aluminium alloys is being developed for implementation in the automotive industry. The objective of the work described here was to develop and demonstrate wire feed techniques for high power Nd:YAG laser welding of 6000 series aluminium alloy. Metallographical analysis and mechanical testing were conducted to asses the weld quality on AA 6023-T6, AA 6082-T6 and AA 6181A-T4. Laser welding of 6000 series alloy with wire feed has shown that: Addition of filler wire reduces cracking, porosity and improves the mechanical properties. The tensile failure strength was generally between 94 - 96 % of the parent material and the failure was in the parent/heat-affected zone. The improvement is due to the filler material, which provides reinforcements to the weld zone by eliminating undercut from the top or root bead. The filler material also replaces lost alloying elements and improves tolerance to the joint fit up. Welds carried out with nitrogen shielding gas for producing butt and overlap welds gave the best results compared with other gases such as helium and argon, with respect to metallography and radiography.
High power Nd: YAG laser welding of aluminium alloys with wire feed
Hochleistungs-Nd-YAG-Laserschweißen von Aluminiumlegierungen mit Drahtzufuhr
2000
8 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 3 Tabellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
Laserstrahlschweißen , Hochleistungslaser , Nd-YAG-Laser , Aluminiumlegierung , Drahtzufuhr , Reflexionsvermögen , Wärmeleitfähigkeit , Verflüchtigung , Wärmeeinflusszone , Rissbildung , Automobilindustrie , metallographisches Untersuchen , Zugfestigkeit , Schweißzusatzwerkstoff , Schutzgas , Stickstoff , Argon , Helium
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