Applications and case studies of laser hybrid welding in the automotive industry

In joining technology, the high welding speed on the one and the good gap bridging ability on the other hand play a significant part. It is no doubt that the laser beam welding and the GMA welding have been established in the welding technology for very long, and that both processes allow a wide field of application in the joining technology. New possibilities and synergetic effects, however, are based on the combination of both processes. The laser radiation causes a very narrow thermally affected zone with a high ratio between welding depth and seam width. In the case of the laser welding process, the gap bridging ability is very low due to the small focus diameter, however very high welding speeds can be achieved. The GMA or Tandem welding process features a significantly lower energy density has a larger focused spot on the material surface and is characterised by its good gap bridging ability. Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.