Process stabilization by dual focus laser welding of aluminum alloys for car body

Abstract

Aluminum alloys were welded using dual focus beams formed with two Nd:YAG lasers with the aim of obtaining a stable welding process. The relationship between the configuration of the spot beams and the quality of the weld beads was investigated using X-ray and high-speed camera observations. The number of pores was clearly related to the ratio of the keyhole depth to the keyhole opening. A larger keyhole opening and/or a shallower keyhole depth resulted in a smaller number of pores caused by instability of the weld pool. Based on the investigation, a car body component was welded with a dual focus beam system. The results show that aluminum car body panels can be welded stably at high speed with little distortion under optimum conditions.