Pulsed Nd:YAG Laser Welding

Technology
trends for today’s
material
processing needs
 Electromagnetic Spectrum
Nd:YAG radiation is in the near infrared, is invisible to
the human eye
Nd:YAG
SHG Nd:YAG 1064 nm
532 nm
10-6m
10-12m 10-9m 10-3m 1m

GAMMA XRAY UV VISIBLE INFRARED MICRO- TV RADIO

WAVE

Excimer Laser (Gas)

93 – 358 nm CO2 Laser (Gas)
10,600 nm
Red Laser Diode, HeNe Laser (Gas)
630 – 670 nm
 Inside Pulsed Nd:YAG Lasers
Laser Rod (Neodymium Doped) Output Beam
0.730-0.810 mm Absorption Band 1.064 mm
Emission
Wave Length

50% Front
99.3% reflecting Mirror
Rear Mirror Light amplification takes
place between the mirrors
Flash Lamp (White Light - multiple wavelengths)
 Fiber Optic Delivery

Fiber Input Coupler

CCTV Focusing
Camera Head

Collimated beam from

laser resonator

Fiber Optic
Cable 0.3 to 1.0mm Dia.

Collimating Lens
Focusing Lens
Protective Cover Slide
Part
 Effect of Beam Delivery
Optical Spot Size = (F.L. Focus Lens / F.L. Collimating Lens) X
Fiber Diameter

 Long collimating lens = smaller spot size

 Short focus lens = smaller spot sizes
 Smaller spot size increases power density
Fiber

F Collimating Lens

F Focus Lens
Spot
 Effect of Beam Delivery
Laser Beam

Focusing Lens

Minimum Spot Diameter

Focal Length (0.4mm Fiber, 70 mm Collimator

50 mm 0.28 mm

70 mm 0.40 mm
100 mm 0.57 mm

120 mm 0.68 mm
 Effect of Beam Delivery

 Energy settings are the same

 Weld 1:
– 600µm fiber
– 120/100 focus head
– Spot: .6mm x 120/100 = .5 mm
 Weld 2:
– 400µm fiber
– 120/ 70 focus head
– Spot: = 0.4 x 120/100 = .23 mm
Laser Control - Power Feedback

“Real-time” optical power feedback.

Benefits:
– Programmed in peak power and time profile
– Instantaneous output power is identical to
programmed pulse shape.
– Automatically compensates for aging lamps
– No “dummy shots” required to stabilize output
– Output updated every 50 microseconds (20kHz)
Laser Control - Power Feedback
 State of the art “set and forget” output control:

HR PR

Feedback YAG
Waveform lamp

Power
Detector Lamp Power
Power Monitor Supply
Input
VOUT = 1V/kW
Coupling
Assembly

Reference DSP
Waveform Comparator
Laser Control - Power Feedback
Example of Power Feedback

Open Loop Laser Feedback Laser

Laser Control - Pulse Shaping

Pulse shaping permits the Operator to define a laser

waveform over multiple segments or points.
Programming is accomplished by defining segments, in
both amplitude (% of power) and duration (time).

Reference Actual
Where can Pulse Shaping help?
•Gold and Aluminum (reflective)
•Pin holes and cracking
•Weld splatter

Pulse shape for Pulse shape to eliminate pin holes

reflective materials
Laser Control - Power Ramping
 Example of Power Ramping:

Without Power Ramping With Power Ramping

 Where can Power Ramping help?
 Better Cosmetic Appearance
 Allows you to overlap a seam weld
without additional penetration to
ensure hermeticity
 Weld to the edge of thin material
by “fading” into and out of the
weld.
 Last pulse cracking
Your Parts and Laser Welding
Getting
ready to
weld
Process Considerations
 Joint configurations
 Parts fit up
 Part alignment
 Cover gas
 Contamination
 Develop a wide weld process window while
meeting specifications
 Joint Configurations
 For best results- NO GAP!
 Rule of Thumb: 10% gap of the thinnest material
– Butt
– Edge
– Fillet

Lap
Butt
Fillet
 Butt Weld
 All of the penetration is along weld joint
 Increase penetration = increased strength
 Least amount of energy required for robust weld
 Lap Weld
 Weld must pass through top material
to reach the joint
 Deeper penetration does not add to
strength
 Penetration must be at least 1.5x top
material thickness for robust weld
Excess penetration does not contribute to
the weld

Penetration is to light, weld not

bonding to lower material

Good penetrating lap weld

 Fillet Weld

 Weld angle is 20-70 degrees

 Deep penetration not
necessary

Fillet weld to thin wall tube

Good Fillet Weld

Deep penetration adds little to the weld
 Fillet Weld
 Due to angle of weld, the weld plume will be close to the part
 Will leave soot on part
 As angle becomes steep or shallow, some permanent discoloration
 Angle Weld
 Welding at an angle
– Butt weld joint is obstructed by part, so beam
comes in at a angle
 Lopsided penetration
 Favor spot towards angle so deepest penetration is
along seam
 Part Alignment Nominal Values
+/-0.003”
Variance in:
• X direction is critical +/-0.010”
• Y is travel direction
• Z is forgiven due to
large focusing tolerance

Includes Part Tolerances

Cover Gas: Off Axis
Weld travel into cover gas

Part Travel

Low flow for best coverage

Gas Types: Argon, Helium
 Cover Gas: On Axis
Laser Beam

Protective Lens
Focusing Lens

Cover Gas Nozzle Cover Gas Supply

Part
Weld Mechanics
Understanding
the weld
 Conduction Weld
 Low peak power
 Low penetration
 Laser acts as a point heat source
 Penetration spreads out in all directions
 Weld diameter large than optical spot size
 Keyhole Welding
 High peak powers
 Deep penetrating
Laser Beam
 A hole is formed in weld pool
 Laser is guided down hole to bottom to the
weld pool to drive penetration down
 Keyhole is highly dynamic
Keyhole

Weld pool
 Typical Pulsed Weld
 Typical pulsed welds have both conduction and keyhole
welding

Conduction
Mode

Keyhole
Mode
Weld Video
 Welding Speed
 Seam weld is made by overlapping spot welds
 Speed (ips) = WD x (1-SO) x Hz
– WD = weld diameter
– SO = spot overlap
– Hz = laser repetion rate
 Weld speed increases with higher average power
 Weld speed increases with less overlap
– 80% overlap for hermetic weld
– 50% or less for structural weld SO
 Seam Welding

Hermetic Barrier

Actual Penetration

50% Overlap

Hermetic Barrier

Actual Penetration

85% Overlap
Seam Welding
Developing Laser Welds

Optimizing the
Process
Typical Peak Power Density vs. Material
Material Peak Power Density
(MW/cm2)
Low Alloy Steel 1
Titanium 1
Kovar 1.5
Stainless Steel 2
Aluminum 3
Copper 4-5
 Effect of Laser Settings
3

 Pulse Energy = Pulse

Width x Peak Power
2

5J Pulse
Peak
Energy
Power
(kW)

1 2 3 4 5

Pulse Width
(msec)
Penetration at Constant Peak Power

 The appropriate penetration for a given

applications is achieved by increasing the pulse
energy while maintaining a constant peak power

J 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

1.5kW Peak Power Stainless Steel

 Peak Power Optimization
 Optimum peak power is defined as the peak power that creates
the deepest penetration at a given energy without material
expulsion
 Optimum peak power minimizes HAZ
 Low peak power produces shallow conduction welds
 Excess peak power produces drilling and cutting
Peak Power Optimization
kW 0.9 1.1 1.5 2.2 4.5
ms 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0

4.5J

Stainless Steel
 Weld Evaluation
 Splatter and under cutting
– Peak power to high
 Porosity
– Weld solidifies to soon after keyhole
closes
– Increase pulse width or decrease peak
power
– Pulse shaping to slow solidification Weld Splatter

Undercut
Porosity
 Weld Evaluation
 Pin Holes
– Material contamination
– Poor fit up
– Material not compatible with laser welding
 Small pin holes can be eliminated by parameter optimization
or pulse shaping
 Weld Evaluation
 Cracking
– Material contamination
– Poor fit up
– Material not compatible with laser welding
– Small cracks may be eliminated by parameter optimization or
pulse shaping
– Last pulse cracking can be eliminated by power ramping

Small crack Solidification Last pulse cracking

cracking
532nm Laser Welding

Breaking new
ground
 Electromagnetic Spectrum
Green Laser is in the Visible Region

LW2AG 532nm
Nd:YAG 1064nm

10-12m 10-9m 10-6m 10-3m 1m

GAMMA XRAY UV VISIBLE INFRARED MICRO- TV RADIO

WAVE

Excimer Laser (Gas)

0.093 to 0.358mm CO2 Laser (Gas)
10.6 mm
HeNe Laser (Gas)
0.632mm
 Green Welder Specifications
Wavelength 532 nm

Average Power 2 watts

Pulse Energy 2J

Peak Power 1.5 kW

Pulse Width .2-3.0 msec (.02

msec/step)
Repetition Rate 1-12 pps

Minimum Fiber .3 mm SI
Diameter
 Resonator Layout
Fiber Optic
Fiber input
unit

100% at 1064 nm
Nd:Yag Rod
0% at 532nm

Focus
Head
Flashlamp Resonator
Mirror
Frequency
Doubling
Crystal

532 nm
Resonator 1064 nm
Mirror
 Advantages of 532 nm
 Copper, Gold and Silver couple much better to the 532 nm
wavelength.
– Lower energy is needed to weld
– Penetration control of weld is much better
– Not sensitive to surface conditions
– Thin materials can be welded without damage to underlying
materials
– Copper may be welded to dissimilar metals
Spectral Response
Copper to Kovar
 532 nm wavelength
– .4mm SI fiber
– CCTV100/100 Focus head
 Materials
– Kovar
– Copper
 The energy needed to melt the
copper is low, so the kovar
does not blow out.
Copper to Stainless
 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV 70/70 focus head
 Material
– Plate: .004” Stainless Steel
– Terminal: .004” gold plated
copper
PCB Contact Welding
 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV 70/70 focus head
 Material
– Circuit board trace:
Copper with Gold plating
– Contact: .004” copper
PCB Contact Welding
 Successfully welded to
trace without blowing
through into the FR4.
Solar Cell Contact Welding
 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV70/50 focus head
 Material
– Solar Cell: .002” stainless
steel over .001” kapton
– Ribbon: .002” copper
 Weld did not damage Kapton
 532 nm wavelength needs
less power to couple into the
copper so kapton is not
damaged.
Small Spot Copper Welding
 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV100/50 focus head
 Material
– Lead: .0025” copper
Ni/Au plated
– Terminal: Copper, Ni/Au
plated
 Small spot size
 Wide process window
compared to current
ultrasonic process
Copper Welding (cont)
Copper Component Welding

 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV50/50 focus head
 Material
– Lead: Copper gold tin plating
– Wire: Copper
Copper Component Welding
Platinum to Nickel
 532 nm wavelength
– .3mm SI fiber
– CCTV70/70 focus head
 Material
– Wire: .004” diameter
platinum
– Wire: Nickel
 532 nm wavelength can also
do low power tradition
applications.
Comparison of Welding
Technologies
Why Laser
Welding?
Advantages of Laser Welding
 Weld quality
– Small Heat Affected Zone
– Non-contact
– No added material
 Set up
– No wear-out process items
 Production
– Fast beam positioning
– Fast triggering
 Comparison of Welding Technologies

Heat Heat Seam Spot Cost Operator Process

Input Affected Weld Weld skill level maintenance
Zone Speed Speed effort

Pulsed Low Small Medium Fast Medium Low Low

Nd:YAG
Laser
CW High Large Fast Medium High Low Low
Nd:YAG
Laser
GMAW High Large Fast Slow Low Medium Medium
 Advantage! - High Speed
Battery Tab Welding
 Spot Weld Tab to Battery
– Tab: .004” thick Nickel 200
– Battery: 304 Stainless Steel
 Laser Settings
– 4.0 mSec
– 1.0 kW
 Beam Delivery
– 400 µm Fiber
– 70/70 Focus Head
 Advantage! – Medical Device
Micro-Spot Welding

 Sensor Wire
 Laser Settings
– 0.3 msec
– 0.5 kW 50µm Diameter wire
 Beam Delivery
– 200 µm Fiber
– 120/50 Focus Head
 Spot Size: 200µm x 50/120 = 85µm
 Advantage! - Heat Sensitive
Battery Seam Welding
 Al Battery Case
 Laser Settings
– 0.6 msec
– 1.9 kW
– 245 pps
– 280 W, average power
 Beam Delivery
– 300 µm Fiber
– 100/100 Focus Head
 Speed: 33 mm/Sec
 Advantage! - High Speed Scan Head
Welding of Suspension Bridge
22 welds
0.3 seconds 20mm
20/100um
40/100um
(1) 195um
220um (3)
20/200um
40/200um

195um
240um
(2) 20/40um
40/200um (4)
150
6mm
240um
Thank you!