Influence of the Weld Penetration on the Tensile Strength of Edge Joints by Laser Welding 2004-01-1233

In the automotive industry, resistance welding and arc welding are wildly used for joining of parts. High-powered laser equipments have been recently developed, and they have been used in many fields, such as welding, cutting and surface reforming. Most applications of laser welding are for lap joints and butt joints for the automotive industry. In this research, the effect of penetration depth on the tensile strength of the edge joint is investigated as a function of the output of laser power and welding speed. The LD-YAG 2.5kW laser was selected to test both ultra-low carbon steel sheet coated with 90%Al-10%Si and ferritic and austenitic stainless steel sheet. The tensile strength of the joints will become constant when the penetration depth is up to or more than the sheet thickness.