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Laser welding is a joining process, which is comparatively new to industrial production and especially to heat exchanger manufacturing. Due to the high energy density of the laser beam, the process is characterized by faster welding speeds with deep penetration as compared to the conventional welding processes. Therefore laser welding technology is widely used in the automotive industry on a variety of different applications. This paper describes the application of laser welding as possible joining technology for exhaust gas heat exchangers made of stainless steel. The cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology shows good potential for meeting the actual and future emission targets of diesel engines combined with acceptable fuel consumption. It will be shown that the selection of the base metal and the joining technology are extremely important for the durability of the product because of the severe operating environment the EGR cooler must endure.