Why do we need laser for welding?
Traditional welding:
 Natural limitations to speed
and productivity
 Thicker sections need multi-
pass welds
 A large heat input
 Results in large and
unpredictable distortions
 Very difficult to robotize
Laser beam welding:
 High energy density input
process
 Precisely controllable
(close tolerence: ±
0.002 in.)
 Low heat input produces
low distortion
 Does not require a vacuum
(welds at atmospheric
pressure)
 No filler metal required
 The term laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by
Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
 A laser beam is a powerful, narrow, monochromatic and
directional beam of electromagnetic radiation.
 Often, these beams are within the visible spectrum of light.
 A laser device excites the atoms in a lasing medium. The
electrons of these atoms move to a higher orbit, then
release photons, creating a laser beam.
Laser Basics
Laser Components
Light Amplification by
Stimulated Emission of Lasing Medium:
Radiation Provides appropriate transition and
Determines the wavelength (it must be in a
metastable state)
Pump:
Provides energy necessary for population
inversion
Optical Cavity:
Provides opportunity for amplification and
Produces a directional beam (with defined
length and transparency)
Properties of Laser
Coherent (synchronized phase
of light)
Collimated (parallel nature of
the beam)
Monochromatic (single
wavelength)
High intensity (~1014W/m2)
 Gas Laser

Types of
Laser

Excimer Solid State

Laser Laser
 Laser beams are used in industry to cut and weld metal
and to survey land and construct buildings.
 In scientific research, they're used in laser spectroscopy
and chemical analysis.
 They are used in medical procedures such as eye, cancer
and heart surgery, as well as in cosmetic procedures.
Dental applications include cavity treatment, nerve
regeneration and reshaping gum tissue.
 Laser beams can measure distances with a high degree of
accuracy. Laser scanners in grocery stores save time in
pricing products and in processing the customer's
purchase.
 In industry, laser cutting and welding are faster and
more precise than other methods. In medical and dental
procedures, lasers do less damage than scalpels and
drills. Scientific research using lasers has led to real-
world advances, such as the use of fiber optics in
telephone communications and computer networking.
 When overlaying with a laser an optical arrangement is
used to focus the laser beam on the work piece and
heat it. Simultaneously hardfacing material in the
form of powder is introduced into the laser beam and
melted. Due to the narrow heat affected zone and the
fast cooling rate the heat input is low, thereby
producing an almost stress free overlay.
 The beam is focused towards the joint which
causes the materials to change from solid to liquid
state. Upon cooling it returns to a solid state.
 Low heat input
 Fast cooling
 Almost stress free overlays
 High hardness
 Fine microstructure
lasers used for welding

 CO2 Laser
 Nd3+:YAG Lasers
Lamp-pumped
LD-pumped
 Disk Laser
 Diode Laser
 Fiber Laser
CO2 laser
 The carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser) was[ one of the
earliest gas lasers to be developed in 1964 , and is still one
of the most useful.
 Carbon dioxide lasers are the highest-power continuous
wave lasers that are currently available. They are also quite
efficient: the ratio of output power to pump power can be as
large as 20%.
 The CO2 laser produces a beam of infrared light with the
principal wavelength bands centering around 9.4 and
10.6 micrometers

CO2 Laser: Characteristics

Wavelength 10.6 µm; far-infrared ray
Laser Media CO2–N2–He mixed gas (gas)
Average 45 kW (maximum)
Power (CW) (Normal) 500 W – 10 kW
Merits Easier high power (efficiency: 10–
20%)
YAG Laser LD-pumped YAG Laser: Characteristics
Lamp-pumped YAG Laser: Characteristics Wavelength about 1 µm; near-infrared ray
Wavelength 1.06 µm; near-infrared ray Laser Media Nd3+ : Y3Al5O12 garnet (solid)
Laser Media Nd3+: Y3Al5O12 garnet (solid) Average [CW] : 13.5 kW (fiber-coupling
Average 10 kW (cascade type & fiber- Power max.)
Power [CW] coupling) [PW] : 6 kW (slab type max.)
(Normal) 50 W–4 kW Merits Fiber-delivery, high brightness,
Merits Fiber-delivery, and easier and high efficiency (10–20%)
handling (efficiency: 1–4%)

YAG Laser Application: Automobile

Industries
Lamp- 3 to 4.5 kW class; SI fiber
pumped delivered (Mori, 2003)
LD-pumped 2.5 to 6 kW
New Rod-type: 8 and 10 kW; Laboratory
Development Prototype
(Bachmann Slab-type: 6 kW; Developed by
2004) Precision Laser Machining
Consortium, PLM
 Disk Laser

A thin disc is used as lasing medium… it is often called active mirror as

it is used as mirror with laser gain. Within resonator, it acts as end
mirror…

Disk Laser: Characteristics

Wavelength 1.03 µm; near-infrared ray
Laser Media Yb3+ : YAG or YVO4 (solid)
Average 6 kW (cascade type max.)
Power [CW]
Merits Fiber-delivery, high
brightness, high
efficiency(10–15%)
Fiber Laser
Fiber laser is meant to be lasers with optical fiber as gain medium….Fiber doped with
rare earth ions e.g. erbium, neodymium or ytterbium is used as gain medium and fiber
brag gratings made either directly in doped fiber or in an undopped fiber which is
spliced to an active fiber are commonly used as optical resonator

Fiber Laser: Characteristics

Wavelength 1.07 µm; near-infrared ray Recent Development (Thomy et.al. 2004; and
Ueda 2001):
Laser Yb3+ : SiO2 (solid), etc.  Fiber lasers of 10kW or more are
Media commercially available
Average 20 kW (fiber-coupling max.)  Fiber lasers of 100kW and more are
scheduled
Power [CW]  Fiber laser at 6.9kW is able to provide
Merits Fiber-delivery, high deeply penetrated weld at high speed
brightness, high  Fiber laser is able to replace high quality
(slab) CO2 laser for remote or scanning
efficiency(10–25%) welding
Types of LBW
Conduction Welding

Description
 Heating the workpiece above the melting temperature
without vaporizing
 Heat is transferred into the material by thermal
conduction.

Characteristics
 Low welding depth
 Small aspect ratio (depth to width ratio is around
unity)
 Low coupling efficiency
 Very smooth, highly aesthetic weld bead

Applications
Laser welding of thin work pieces like foils, wires, thin
tubes, enclosures, etc.
Types of LBW
Keyhole Welding

Description
 Heating of the workpiece above the vaporization
temperature and forming of a keyhole
 Laser beam energy is transferred deep into the
material via a cavity filled with metal vapor
 Hole becomes stable due to the pressure from vapor
generated

Characteristics
 High welding depth
 High aspect ratio (depth to width
ratio can be 10:1)
 High coupling efficiency
Lasers Beam Welding

Schematic Beam
Diagram Delivery
unit
Beam Delivery Unit

Laser

Processing
Optics

Workpiece Positioning Unit

 Low possibility of HAZ in the joint
 No need for filler metal
 Reduce Latency
 No tool wear
 LBW is not influenced by magnetic fields
 Joints must be accurately positioned
 Maximum weld penetration is limited (19-21mm)
 High reflectivity and high thermal conductivity of
materials like Aluminum effect the weldability of
the joint