orIginal ARTICLES

Laser Beam Welding

Lucien Reclaru1, Christian Susz2, Lavinia Ardelean3

REZUMAT
Obiective: Scopul acestui studiu este de a evalua, cu ajutorul microscopiei electronice de baleaj şi a metalografiei, caracteristicile sudurii laser în cazul a
două aliaje diferite. Material şi metodă: Aliajele utilizate sunt aliajul pe bază de titan TA6V4 şi un aliaj standard Au-Pd, pentru tehnica metalo-ceramică.
Rezultate: Analiza metalurgică, prin metalografie şi microscopie electronică de baleaj, după aplicarea unui singur impuls laser, a eşantionului de aliaj
TA6V4 este caracterizată prin apariţia, după răcire, a unei zone de topire, a unei zone afectate termic şi a unei zone ce corespunde aliajului de bază.
Limita de elasticitate scade la aplicarea temperaturii crescute, iar rezistenţa la oboseală nu este afectată de sudura laser. În cazul aliajului Au-Pd în tehnica
metalo-ceramică, ca şi în cazul aliajului pe bază de titan, apare o zonă de de afectare termică foarte perturbată, precum şi o structură lamelară a zonei
de topire. Rezistenţa la fractură în cazul sudurii laser este mai bună decât în cazul lipirii. Pe de altă parte, rezistenţa la oboseală a sudurii laser este mai
scăzută decât în cazul lipirii. Concluzii: Sudurile sunt satisfăcătoare din punct de vedere mecanic. Pentru a se evita problemele, iniţial, ambele părţi ale
piesei de sudat trebuie supuse unui impact energetic de nivel scăzut, urmând să se utilizeze apoi o energie mai mare pentru umplere.
Cuvinte cheie: sudură laser, metalografie, microscopie electronică de baleaj

ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of this study is to assess, by scanning electronic microscope (SEM) observation and metallography, the characteristics of laser
welding carried out with two different alloys.Material and methods: The alloys used are the titanium-based TA6V4 alloy and a standard Au–Pd alloy for
the metallo-ceramic technique.Results: Metallurgic analysis, by metallography and scanning electronic microscope observation, after a single impulse
laser impact, of the TA6V4 alloy sample is characterized in the following way: after cooling, there is a melting area (MA), a thermally-affected area (TAA)
and an area corresponding to the base alloy (BAA). The elasticity limit during high temperatures decreases and the resistance to wear is rather unaffected
by laser welding.For the Au–Pd alloy in the metallo-ceramic technique, like in the case of the titanium-based alloy, there is a very perturbed TAA and a
lamellar structure of the melting area. The resistance to fracture of the laser welded area is higher that in the case of brazing. On the other hand, the wear
resistance of laser welding is lower than that of brazing.Conclusions: The welding is mechanically satisfactory. In order to avoid problems, initially, both
parts of the joined piece should be subjected to low level energy impacts, followed by greater energy for filling.
Key words: laser beam welding, metallography, scanning electronic microscopy

INTRODUCTION

During the past years, the laser welding technique

has been extended to dental technique, as it permits
1
PXGroup, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland the joining of various pieces made of similar or
2
PXDental/Qualident, Geneve, Switzerland different alloys, process which might be difficult with
3
Faculty of Dental Medicine, Victor Babes University of Medicine and other techniques. For example, titanium or titanium-
Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
alloy pieces, welded pieces used during repair works
of partials made of Co-Cr alloys, which permit the
Correspondence to: preservation of the components of the denture piece
Prof. Dr. Ardelean Lavinia
Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty of Dental
(composites or teeth) which might deteriorate during
Medicine, 9 Revolutiei blvd., Timisoara, Romania heating by usual techniques. It is equally possible,
Tel: 0722-625235 thanks to this welding method, to weld elements
situated in inaccessible places, such as the inner part
Received for publication: Dec. 09, 2009. Revised: Jan. 20, 2010.
of an element, splinting extremely small and delicate
_____________________________
86 TMJ 2010, Vol. 60, No. 1
elements (Fig. 1)1, or splinting of extremely sensitive
elements (Fig. 2).1

Figure 3. Stages of welding cord formation.

Figure 1. Laser welding of electronic microcomponents.

Figure 4. Welding cord by continue welding.

Figure 2. Diamond welded on steel for grinding instruments.
The TA6V4 alloy
Material and methods The TA6V4 alloy is a titanium-based alloy
containing 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium, mainly
Action of the laser beam on the alloy used in manufacturing prefabricated pieces for
The action of the laser beam that leads to the implantology.
formation of a welding cord can be decomposed
following the stages below (Fig. 3):2,3
–– the material is first heated by conduction;
–– the absorbed energy provokes, by superficial
penetration, the melting of the alloy on the
impact surface;
–– the operation takes place by emitting a metallic
vapour which develops at the centre of the
impact point. The material partly absorbs and
diffuses the energy of the beam;
–– the vapour pressure increases and dispels the
melting alloy to the periphery of the beam and
upwards. A narrow (capillary) shaft is created,
which then propagates through the material.
This shaft, whose diameter is barely greater
than that of the beam, is physically occupied
by metallic vapour plasma. Its walls are coated
with a film of melting metal maintained by Figure 5. Schematic pseudo-binary phase diagram of TA6V4.
capillarity;
–– the melting metal is finally sent backwards and As the pseudo-binary phase diagram shows
closes the capillary that forms the welding cord (Fig. 5), at room temperature the alloy is bi-phased
(Fig. 4). Tiα+Tiβ, with a slight phase percentage for Tiβ. The
_____________________________
Lucien Reclaru et al  87
existence of the two phases, Tiα and Tiβ, at room
temperature, makes possible the creation of an alloy
with a high mechanical resistance, due to the mutual
interaction of the two phases. The alloy has an
elasticity limit of 875 MPa.
During heating, Tiα turns into Tiβ at approximately
980oC. During fast cooling, the Tiβ phase undergoes
a so-called martensitic transformation, forming a
complex lamellar structure inducing significantly
altered mechanical properties. These mechanical
properties will be recovered by a low-temperature
thermal treatment.
Au–Pd alloy for the metallo-ceramic technique
The alloy welded by laser technique is a standard
alloy used in the Au–Pd metallo-ceramic technique,
containing 51.2% Au, 38.6% Pd, indium, gallium and
ruthenium as additional elements.4
Figure 6. Schematic description of the cord during welding.2
Figure 7. SEM observation of the TA6V4 cord sample after a single
impulse laser impact.
Results
TA6V4 alloy welding
This alloy welds mainly to itself or to other alloys
by laser welding. Metallurgic analysis of the sample,
_____________________________
88 TMJ 2010, Vol. 60, No. 1
by metallography and scanning electronic microscope
observation, after a single impulse laser impact, is
characterized (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) in the following way:2
after cooling there are a melting area (MA), a thermally-
affected area (TAA) and an area corresponding to the
base alloy (BAA).
–– The MA is mainly formed of Tiβ turned by
martensitic transformation into Tiα’.
–– The TAA is mainly composed of two
sublayers developed near the MA, formed of
a Ti’ structure and, deeper down, of a complex
Tiα+Tiβ+Tiα’ structure.
–– The BAA consists of the Tiα + Tiβ structure.
For the Au–Pd alloy for the metallo-ceramic
technique, Fig. 8 shows the successive impacts leading
to the welding of the two pieces. Like in the case of
a titanium-based alloy, there is a very perturbed TAA
(Fig. 9) and a lamellar structure of the melting area
(Fig. 10).
Figure 8. Welded area (SEM).
Figure 9. Welded area (metallography).
The success of the welding procedure depends on
the operator’s dexterity and the choice of the welding
parameters.6-11

Figure. 10. MA area (metallography).
Discussion
For TA6V4 alloy it is important to observe that
the cooling speed plays an important role on the
mechanical characteristics, due to its influence on the
phase transformation structures into a solid state. The
elasticity limit during high temperatures decreases and
the resistance to wear is rather unaffected by laser
welding process, due to the fact that the cord has no
porosities or other defects (cracks, snaps).
For the Au–Pd alloy in the metallo-ceramic
technique it appears that the resistance to fracture
of the laser welded area is higher that in the case of
brazing.5 On the other hand, the resistance to wear of
laser welding is lower than that of brazing.12,13
Laser welding is suitable to weld titanium and its
alloys, because they have higher rates of laser beam
absorption and lower thermal conductivity than do
other dental casting alloys such as gold alloys; however,
due to the strong reactivity of molten titanium with
oxygen in ambient air, the incorporation of oxygen
during laser welding may affect the joint strength.14,15
Conclusions
The welding is mechanically satisfactory. In order
to avoid problems, initially, both parts of the joined
piece should be subjected to low level energy impacts,
followed by greater energy for filling.
References
1. Niderost R. Materialprüfungs- und Versuchsanstalt für Industrie,
Bauwesen und Gewerbe EMPA, Zurich, 2009.
2. Robert Y. Simulation numerique du soudage du TA6V4 par laser
YAG impulsionnel. These. Ecole des Mines, Paris 2007.
3. Bertrand C, Le Petitcorps Y, Albingre L, et al. The laser welding
technique applied to non precious dental alloys procedure and results.
Br Dent J 2001;190(5):255-7.
4. Alliage Qualibond 2, PXDental/Qualident Geneve.
5. Wiskott H, Macheret F, Bussy F, et al. Mechanical and elemental
characterization of solder joints and welds using a gold-palladium
alloy. J Prosthet Dent 1997;77(6):607-16.
6. Sandu L, Birdeanu V, Bortun C, et al. Laser Welding Optimizations
for Practical Use in Dental Technology. TMJ 2008;58(3-4):212-7.
7. Bertrand C, Le Petitcorps Y, Albingre L, et al. Optimization of
operator and physical parameters for laser welding of dental materials.
Br Dent J 2004;96(7):413-8.
8. Chai T, Chon CK. Mechanical properties of laser-welded cast titanium
joints under different conditions. J Prosthet Dent 1988;79(4):477-83.
9. Iwasaki K, Ohkawa S, Rosca ID, et al. Distortion of laser welded
titanium plates, Dent Mater J 2004;23(4):593-9.
10. Baba N, Watanabe I, Liu J, et al. Mechanical strength of laser-welded
cobalt-chromium alloy. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater
2004;69(2):121-4.
11. Baba N, Watanabe I. Penetration depth into dental casting alloys by
Nd:YAG laser. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2005;72(1):64-8.
12. Rocha R, Pinheiro AL, Villaverde AB. Flexural strength of pure Ti,
Ni-Cr and Co-Cr alloys submitted to Nd:YAG laser or TIG welding.
Braz Dent J 2006;17(1):20-3.
13. Zupancic R, Legat A, Funduk N. Tensile strength and corrosion
resistance of brazed and laser-welded cobalt-chromium alloy joints. J
Prosthet Dent 2006;96(4):273-2.
14. Pop D, Negrutiu M, Sinescu C, et al. Different Types of Laser
Welding in Dental Technology, TMJ 2007;57(2-3):184-6.
15. Watanabe I, Baba N, Chang J, et al. Nd:YAG laser penetration into
cast titanium and gold alloy with different surface preparations. J Oral
Rehabil 2006;33(6):443-6.
_____________________________
Lucien Reclaru et al  89