Fine Welding with Lasers

Michael Mller

Table of contents
Lasers and Systems
Welding principle
Weld types and tolerances
Material selection
Influencing factors / Advanced process approaches
ISO Standards

Laser Working Station

Notation according EN ISO 1145 : 1994

Beam guiding system

Beam forming

Laser source
Process gas supply
Work piece

Laser

Supply cabinet
(power,
cooling)

Handling system
(positioning, movement,
clamping, gas supply)

Pulsed Nd:YAG lasers

StarPulse 40 / 90 /150

Starfiber OEM

StarPulse 500

Starfiber 400 - 600

Starfiber 100 - 300

Class 1 Systems
Performance

Integral

MPS

Select

MPS 3D

Fix Optics

Galvo head

Advantages
fast positioning
flexible in terms of part
geometry
easy to use software
Suitable for fiber and direct
beam delivery
Vision system through the lense

Welding with Galvo Head - Principle

Laser As a Thermal Tool

Laser material interaction
Absorption

t0

Laser beam
Laser
beam

In a thin surface layer (optical penetration depth depends on

material , <10 nm)

Generation of heat
By transition of the energy of the light (photons) to the
electrons of the material within the optical penetration depth

Heat transport

Laser beam
Laser
beam

By heat conduction from the optical penetration depth into

bulk material (temperature gradient)

Materials reaction
Solid state-, liquid state-, vapour phase processes
(e. g. recristallisation, anealing, hardening, melting,...)
depending on power density and interaction time

t1

Isotherme

Laser Beam Absorption

Absorption

30
Absorption in %

Cu

CO2
10,6 m

25
20

Au

15

Ag

Al

Nd:
YAG
1,06 m

St
Fe

10
Mo
5
0.1

0.2

0.4

0.8 1
2
4 6 8 10
Wave length in m

20

The absorbtivity of materials at room temperature and perpendicular incidence angle

of low intensity laser radiation is strongly depending on the wave length
10

Process types conduction welding

Heat conduction welding

1)
2)

Molten material
Weld depth

The material is heated above melting

temperature but there is no vaporization.

aspect ratio approx. 1

1)
4)

max. penetration approx. 0.5 mm

Very smooth surface

Applications:
Welding of thin workpieces, cosmetic welding
of enclosures

11

Process types keyhole welding

Deep / Keyhole welding

1)

1)
2)
3)
4)

Plasma cloud
Molten material
Keyhole
Weld depth

Heating of the material above vaporization

temperature and formation of a keyhole

aspect ratio approx. >> 1

Keyhole diameter approx. spot

3)
2)

diameter
Cw: max. penetration depending on
laser power
Pw: max penetration approx. 3 mm
4)

12

Depth [mm]

Conduction
mode

105

Critical intensity

PROCESS TYPES

106

Plasma
shielding

Keyhole
mode

power

107

Power density [W/cm]

Example:
Spot diameter 0.04 mm, Power 200 W -> I = 1.6 x 107 W/cm
Spot diameter 0.2 mm, Power 200 W -> I = 6.3 x 105 W/cm

108

Laser Parameters - pulsed

Power P

PPK

process threshold

PPuls
PAV

1. Peak power
2. Pulse power
3. Pulse width
4. Pulse energy
5. Frequency
6. Average power
7. Pulse shape

Time t

T = 1/
PPK
PPuls

PAV
P(t)

E = PPuls
PAV = E

PPulse Spot welding

Energy too high

Energy too low

14

Effect of Parameter Changes Pulsed Laser

1) Increase of peak power (W)

1000 W-2 ms-Focus 0,4 mm

2000 W-2 ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

3000 W-2 ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

2) Increase of pulse duration (ms)

1000 W-10ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

1000 W-2ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

1000 W-50 ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

3) Increase of spot size (mm)

1000 W-2 ms-Fokus 0,4 mm

1000 W-2 ms-Fokus 0,8 mm

1000 W-2 ms-Fokus 1,2 mm

15

Pulsed Welding - Overlap

The overlap indicates which
percentage of a pulse is covered by
the following pulse.
From overlap, spot diameter and
velocity the necessary frequency can
be calculated.

100%

overlap
70%

Cross section

70 %

50 %

The overlap in pulsed laserwelding is usually in the range of 50 to 90 %.

To achieve good strentgh a little more than 50 % are sufficient. If hermetic
sealing is requiered the overlap needs to be 75 % or more.

16

Laser parameters - cw
cw - Laser
Power P

process threshold

PAV = PPK

Time t

Peak power = average power in cw mode, peak power of a

modulated puls is as maximum the max. average power
Pulse width: 0.004 ms - 100 ms or cw mode
Frequency: cw (up to 170 kHz in modulated mode)
Power density (P/(/4*D)) has to be above process threshold

17

Effects of Temperature Cycle

Laser welding has the following characteristics:

Very high gradients and heating- (>10000 K/s) and cooling rates (100 .. Some
1000 K/s). Result: high state of stress.
Material areas close to the molten zone are heated up close to the solidus
temperature.
The formation of balanced microstructures is nearly impossible. Typically we
find coarse grained, hard and brittle microstructures in the HAZ.

18

Weld joint types

Butt
weld

Lap joint
Thin material should be on top

Fillet
weld

Incidence angle of the laserbeam

as much in joint direction as possible

19

Joint types Butt Weld

Butt weld
Advantages:

optimum distribution of forces

optimum solution for light weight structures

no problems at welding coated material

Disadvantages:

high requirements on tolerances

high requirements on clamping and positioning

20

Joint types Lap Joint

Lap joint
Advantages:

low requirements in tolerances and positioning accuracy

low distortion indistribution of forces

more than 2 layers possible

Disadvantages:

risc of crevice corrosion

difficult degassification

Please note: Thin material should be on top.

21

Joint types Fillet Weld

Fillet weld
Advantages:

easy to clamp

good distribution of forces

15 - 30

Disadvantages:

high requirements on clamping and positioning

Please note: Angle of weld follows incidence angle of laserbeam

22

Tolerances

Butt weld
< 0,15 d

d
< 0,1 d

Lap joint
d

< 0,1 d
d = 0.75 mm

23

Spot sizes

600 m

30 m
24

Spot diameter pulsed lasers

max. weld depth = 1-2 spot diameter

Max. gap < 0.1 weld depth

The spot diameter should be in the range of 50 100 % of the requiered weld
depth and 10 times the maximum gap.

The spot diameter results from the beam expansion rate and the focal length
of the focussing lens when using direct beam delivery.
Using fiber delivery the spot diameter depends on fiber diameter, upcollimation
and focal length of the focussing lens.

25

Protection Gas
Goal:
Prevent oxidation
Improve seam quality

Solution: Use protection gas

Nitrogen cheap
Argon
better seam quality
Helium difficult to handle

Without gas

Nitrogen

Important:
Laminar flow
At 6 mm nozzle diameter
10 l/min are reasonable

Argon

26

Weldability of Materials

Weldability of a material is given, if in production due to the chemical,

metallurgical and physical properties a weld according to the requirements can
be done.
from: DIN 8528 Teil 1

Possible requirements:
static strength
dynamic strength
heremtical sealing
electrical conductivity
reproducability
process stability

Weldability is no
material specific value.
Due to this most often
tests need to be done.

27

Material Selection
Material

Comment

Carbon steel

Welds well. If carbon content > 0.2 % brittle welds.

Stainless steel

300 series welds well except alloys with S > 0.05 %

400 series welds brittle

Copper

High refectivity requires high peak power

Cu-Be

Welds well but particles hazardous

Bronze (Cu/Sn)

Reasonable welds

Brass (Cu/Zn)

Outgasing of zinc prevents good welds

Aluminium

Pure Al (1xxx) welds well, only a few alloys weld crack free (2219, 3003). Filler material
4047 or combination of alloys may improve result (e. g. 6061 with 4047),

Titanium

Welds well. Very good shielding with inert gas necessary

Gold, Silver, Platinum

High reflectivity requires high peak power

Nickel

Welds well

Ni based super alloys

Welds well if Ti + Al content < 4 %

Kovar

Welds well

Tantal

Welds well. Very good shielding with inert gas necessary

Molybdenum

Usually welds brittle may be acceptable where high strength is not required

Plating may cause cracks e.g. electroless nickel plating due to its phosphorous content
28

Material Selection - Combinations

Weldability of metal combinations

poor;
good;
excellent
29

Plating Issues

Zinc coating

Boiling issues have to be considered

May cause brittle intermetallic phases with Cu

Tin
Nickel

Electroless -> leads to cracking due to P in plating process

Electrolytic -> to be preferred

Gold

Often with Ni underplating , avoid electroless Ni plating

Shiny Au more difficult than dull Au

Silver

Tends to spatter

30

Steel - Basics
The weldabilty of steel depends strongly on the following material
characteristics:
chemical composition
metallurgical processes at melting and solidification
physical properties

Material composition limits:

C- content < 0,2 %
S- and P-content as small as posible ( usually 0.035% S and 0.045 % P).
(S often used to improve material suitability for milling,
e. g.: 303 = 304 with high S content, 0.15 %)
A prediction about the resulting microstructure and possible imperfections for highly alloyed
steel grades can be obtained by using the Schffler diagram.
Please note: Diagram only valid for < 0,2 % C, < 1,0 % Si, < 4 % Mn, < 3 % Mo, < 1,5 % Nb.
Schffler diagram was created for non laser welding processes with lower cooling rates, use with great care.
31

Steel Weldability Low alloyed Steel

non- and low alloyed steel
General structural steel:

hardening in HAZ possible.

Tough at subzero steel and heat resisting structural steel:

Weldabilty good besides martensitic heat resisting structural steel .

Case hardening-, nitriding heat treatable steel:

good weldability for CE = C+Mn/20+Mo/15+Ni/40+Cr/10+V/10+Cu/20+Si/25 < 0,35,

limited weldability for 0,35< CE < 0,5.

32

Steel Weldability Stainless steel

Stainless steel
Ferritic chrome steel (12 % < Cr < 17%, C < 0,1 %):

weldability has to be proved.

Martensitic chrome steel (10 % < Cr < 14%, 0,1 % < C < 1,2 %):

Danger of cold cracking, increase of hardness and brittleness.

weldability has to be proved.
weldability for martensitic chrome nickel steel with 1 % < Ni < 6% and C < 0,05 % is
better.

Austenitic chrome nickel (-molybdenum)-steel:

mainly good weldabilty.

Austenitic ferritic steel (duplex steel):

Cool down time not sufficient for complete change of microstructure.

33

Suutala diagram

S+P+B [mass %]

0.1
Arc welding

Laser welding

Crack

No crack

0.05

1.4

1.6

1.8

Cr/Ni equivalent
J.C. Lippold, Weld. J., 73-6 (1994)129s 139s
34

Aluminium Welding - Basics

Weldability of aluminium depends
strongly on the composition of the
alloy.
Pure aluminium is for example well
weldable.
When using Al alloys containing Si, Mg
and Cu care should be taken to avoid
the peak of hot crack sensitivity.

Solution:
Filler wire, increase flexibilty in
material selection but difficult
handling
Choose the material of one of the
parts to weld in a way that the
resulting microstructure in the weld
seam is not critical. (e. g.: 5052 and
4047)

35

Aluminium Welding Hot Cracking

Al-Mg

Relative Crack Sensitivity

Al-Cu

Al-Li
Al-Mg2-Si
Al-Si

Percentage Alloying Element [Weight %]

36

Aluminium Alloy series

Series

Alloying elements Weldability

Comment

Non-heat-treatable alloys
1xxx

pure Al (> 99%)

generally weldable

soft material

3xxx

Al-Mn

often weldable without filler

soft , good corrosion resistance

4xxx

Al-Si

weldable, Si > 3 % to avoid hot

cracking

soft and ductile, mainly used as

filler material

5xxx

Al-Mg

weldable using filler (Mg > 4 %)

often rough surface

higher strength due to Mg content

Heat-treatable-alloys
2xxx

Al-Cu / Al-Cu-Mg /
Al-Cu-Li

difficult to weld, exception 2219, high strength, low corrosion

2519
resistance

6xxx

Al-Mg-Si

weldable using filler (e. g.4047)

good strength, well formable and

relatively good corrosion resistance

7xxx

Al-Zn, Al-Zn-Mg-Cu

difficult due to Zn content, filler

requiered

strongest Al alloy
37

Weld Depth Pulsed Laser

3,5

Stainless steel
Aluminum

depth in mm

2,5
2
1,5
1
0,5
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Pulseenergy in J
Protection gas: Argon
38

Depth in mm

Weld depth cw Fiber Laser

2,4
2,2
2
1,8
1,6
1,4
1,2
1
0,8
0,6
0,4
0,2
0

100 W
200 W
400 W
600 W

8
3

speed in m/min

10
Depth stainless steel

stainless steel:
aluminum:

0.5 mm/100 W
0.3 mm/200 W

Depth in mm

2,5

Rules for Laser selection:

stainless steel (3 mm thick),

welds in thinner material might be
faster.
N2 protection gas, spot 20 m

Depth aluminum

1,5
1
0,5
0
0

200

400

Power in W

600

800

Weld Depth - cw Diode Laser

2,5

Material: SUS304
Gas: Argon

Depth in mm

1kW, 400m fiber

500m spot size

1,5
1
0,5
0
0

Speed [m/min]

1m/min

3m/min

Focus position

-z

z=0

+z

Laser beam
inclined plane

41

Pulse Shaping

Freely programmable pulse shape

Closed loop control for accurate pulse

shaping

Green: Set point

Yellow: Actual values

42

Pulse Shape - Why

Peak Power [W]

Purpose of Pulse Shaping:

5
1

Pulse duration [ms]

1. Fast keyhole opening using steepest

rising slope and high peak intensity
2. Option: Prevention of melt expulsion
(depending on viscosity of melt)
3. Adjust penetration and volume of
keyhole (deep penetration/keyhole
welding)
4. Step down or ramp down intensity to
avoid overheating of melt (spatter!)
5. Continuous absorption of radiation
into still open or just closing keyhole
(medium intensity, transition to heat
conduction welding) Smoothening
effect.

43

Pulse Shape - Effects

Welding of Aluminum

From: Rofin - Lasag

44

Rofin Smart Weld Technology

Workpiece Top View

Galvo Field

1.

Application:

Fine seam welding

2.

Laser:

Fiberlaser with Scanner Optics

3.

Technology:

Galvo used to move small spot

perpendicular (programmable) to the welding

direction

Oscylation-movement
perpendicular to weld seam

Influence oscillation width

Oscillation width 700 m

Oscillation width 350 m

With increasing oscillation width the weld gets wider but less deep.
Max process speed depends on oscillation width and frequency.

46

Quality Aspects
Weld penetration

Easy to judge by cross section or through weld

Weld strength

Determined by destructive testing (pull test .)

Cracking

Visual inspection, ultrasonic, dye pentration

Porosity

Cross section, various causes

Hermetical sealing

Determined by leak test

Weld cosmetics
Smoothness, flatness of surface
47

Construction Notes
Process related
allow root fusion
support heat removal
allow degassing of the melt
new joint geometries possible (e. g. welding of several layers, weld
even if lower surfece is not accesible)

Clamping related
clamping device close to joint
allow self centering

system technology related

least possible contour complexity
consider accesability

48

ISO STANDARDS

Test and inspection

ISO 15614 11
Seam quality evaluation
ISO 13919 part 1-2

Quality management
ISO 9000

Welding coordination
ISO 14731
Welding personnel
ISO 14732

quality standards
laser welding
Welding system
ISO 15616 part 1-3
Base material
EN 10025
Filler material
ISO 2560

Welding procedures
and -instructions
ISO 15607
ISO 15609 part 3-4

ISO STANDARDS
ISO 4063:2009: Welding and allied processes -- Nomenclature of processes
and reference numbers
EN 10025: Steel Specifications
ISO 2560:2009: Welding consumables -- Covered electrodes for manual
metal arc welding of non-alloy and fine grain steels -- Classification
ISO 14731:2006: Welding coordination -- Tasks and responsibilities
ISO 14732:2013: Welding personnel -- Qualification testing of welding
operators and weld setters for mechanized and automatic welding of
metallic materials
ISO 13919-1:1996: Welding -- Electron and laser-beam welded joints -Guidance on quality levels for imperfections -- Part 1: Steel, Part 2:
Aluminium and its weldable alloys

ISO STANDARDS
ISO 15607:2003: Specification and qualification of welding procedures for
metallic materials -- General rules
ISO 15614-11:2002: Specification and qualification of welding procedures
for metallic materials -- Welding procedure test -- Part 11: Electron and laser
beam welding
ISO 15616-1:2003: Acceptance tests for CO2-laser beam machines for high
quality welding and cutting -- Part 1 4

Laser standards
ANSI Z136.9 - Safe Use of Lasers in Manufacturing Environments
ISO 11145;2006: Optics and photonics -- Lasers and laser-related equipment
-- Vocabulary and symbols

Thank you for your attention.

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