LASER BEAM WELDING

Introduction

Laser beam welding (LBW) is a modern method of fusing two pieces of metal. It is a
process typically used in a large automated manufacturing environment and can be
applied to a variety of metals, including steel (carbon and stainless), aluminum, titanium
alloys and nickel alloys.

Operation Mechanism

When the laser beam makes contact with the metal(s), the energy is converted from light
to thermal energy. Concentrating the laser on an area as small as 0.2 mm in diameter, the
heating effect is magnified greatly. Providing the laser power is calibrated correctly, the
weld area (where the two pieces meet) will melt and then crystallize, fusing the parts
together. If the laser is too powerful the laser may heat the material beyond the point of
vaporization and simply slice straight through it. It is therefore important that the laser
beam be set up to operate for the specific application being considered.

Applications

Typical laser beam welding applications include:

- Catheters, Spine Implants & Dental Implants
- Sensors for high temperature / high pressure environments
- Surgical Instruments
- Fine Wires
- Jewelry
- Magnetic Instruments

Advantages of Laser Beam Welding

1) The concentration of such high power allows for extremely precise and clean welds.
Furthermore, mass customization of the laser means that the beam characteristics are
entirely adjustable, and the process can therefore be applied to a wide range of metals of
varying thicknesses.
2) Despite high initial costs, lasers are more economical to run than conventional welding
(MIG/TIG, etc). By using Nd:YAG laser (which is the most used laser welding in the
industry) , it is possible to control the beam with fiber optics, thus making the process
entirely controllable with robotics and CAD packages.

3) A great advantage of laser beam welding compared with electron beam is that the
process does not need to be carried out under vacuum, although a shielding gas such as
argon is normally required.

Disadvantages of Laser Beam Welding

1) The major drawback to laser beam welds is the slow welding speeds (25 to 250
mm/min.) resulting from the pulse rates and puddle sizes at the fusion point.

2) Laser welding is limited to depths of approximately 1.5 mm and additional energy

only tends to create gas voids and undercuts in the work.

3) Materials such as magnesium tend to vaporize and produce severe surface voids.

4) Laser welding equipment is expensive, a typical CO2 installation costing over

250000£, so it is necessary to have a high production throughput of high quality joins to
justify such capital outlay.

Lasers are a very versatile welding tool in industry and continue to be developed to be
more rapid, lean and agile.

ELECTRON BEAM WELDING

Fast,
clean,
and economical Electron Beam
Welding
with NO Distortion!
Electron beam welding is defined as a fusion welding process wherein coalescence is
produced by the heat obtained from a concentrated beam composed primarily of high
velocity electrons. As the high velocity electrons strike the surfaces to be joined, their
kinetic energy changes to thermal energy thereby causing the workpiece metal to melt
and fuse.
Electron beam welding is used to weld titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, stainless steel,
aluminium and many of the more refractory metals.

Electron Beam Welding Operations Mechanism

Electron Beam Welding is a very similar process to laser beam welding, except that
electrons are focused instead of photons in the case of lasers. The advantage of using an
electron beam is that the beam does not have a tendency to diverge as laser beams do
when they contact the workpiece.

Advantages of Electron Beam Welding

(i) Welds produced are of high quality (free from porosity and atmospheric
contamination) and can be made at high speeds.
(ii) The fusion zone and the heat affected zone are extremely narrow.
(iii) As the energy input is in a narrow concentrated beam, distortion is almost eliminated.

(iv) The hard vacuum makes it possible to weld such highly reactive vacuum melted
materials as titanium, zirconium, etc., with the same control of purity as in the original
material.

Disadvantages of Electron Beam Welding

(i) Initial cost of equipment is high and portable equipment is rare.

(ii) Work is to be manipulated through vacuum seals.
(iii) Time and equipment is required to create vacuum everytime a new job is to be
welded.
(iv) Precautions are needed to prevent damage from X-rays.

Applications of Electron Beam Welding

(i) For welding reactive'" and refractory'" metals used in the atomic energy and rocketry
fields.
(ii) For welding other common similar'" * and dissimilar metal combinations [e.g. Invar
(64Fe - 36Ni) and (12Mn -18 Cu -10Ni); stainless steel and Inconel, titanium, and
copper, etc.].
(iii) For welding automobile, airplane, aerospace, farm and other types of equipment,
where especially low distortion is desired.

SUPERPLASTIC FORMING

Introduction

Superplastic forming is a metalworking process for forming sheet metal. It works upon
the theory of superplasticity, which means that a material can elongate beyond 100% of
its original size.

Operation Mechanism

Superplastic Forming (SPF) is a process that brings solid crystalline materials, such as
titanium and other metals, to a state of superplasticity where the flow stress of the
material is low. Once the state of superplasticity is reached, pressure is applied to the
metals to allow for complex forms.

Conventional Assembly requires fabrication of multiple parts, bolts, and increases

inventory, labor, and cost, whereas Superplastic Forming eliminates weak points and
reduces inventory.

Applications

The process is increasingly being applied in the aerospace industry as a way of

manufacturing very complex geometries. It is most beneficial for these industries because
it is critical to reduce the weight in order to achieve higher speed or fuel efficiency.
- Aircraft frames and skins
- Complex shape parts: window and door frames, floor structures
- Propulsion and ducting systems

Advantages of SPF Process

1) Superplastic Forming technology offers the potential to reduce the weight and cost of
automotive structural components for advance vehicle applications.
2) Reduces weight of the product by eliminating nuts, bolts and fasteners
3) Reduces inventory by eliminating need for assembly
4) Reduces overhead and labor costs by cutting out assembly and machining steps
5) Allows for more complex structures and more advanced applications
6) Final product does not suffer from springback or residual stresses

Disadvantages

1) Slow forming rate. Cycle times vary from two minutes to two hours.
2) Materials must not be superplastic at service temperatures.