Laser welding

Article By:

Katayama, Seiji Department of Laser Welding and Materials Processing Jointing and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Last reviewed:January 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.372500

A process for joining materials with a high-power and high-energy-density laser beam. Welding is one of the most versatile joining methods for constructing products in nearly every industrial field. A laser is a high-power-density heat source, and a deep-narrow penetration weld can be produced using an inert shielding gas, such as helium (He) and argon (Ar), in an open-air environment, as shown in Fig. 1. Among all the welding processes, laser welding can produce a variety of joints in metals or plastics, ranging from very thin sheets of about 0.01 mm in thickness to thick plates of 50 mm. Laser welding has gained great popularity as a promising joining technology with high quality, high precision, high performance, high speed, good flexibility, and low distortion. It is applicable for reduction of workforce, full automation, robotization, and systematization in production lines. Applications of laser welding are increasing as a result of the development of novel laser apparatuses and joining processes.

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