High power laser hybrid welding - challenges and perspectives

High power industrial lasers at power levels up to 100 kW is now available on the market. Therefore, welding of thicker materials has become of interest for the heavy metal industry e.g. shipyards and wind mill producers. Further, the power plant industry, producers of steel pipes, heavy machinery and steel producers are following this new technology with great interest. At Lindo Welding Technology (LWT), which is a subsidiary to FORCE Technology, a 32-kwatt disc laser is installed. At this laser facility, welding procedures related to thick section steel applications are developed. Material thicknesses between 40 and 100 mm are currently of interest. This paper describes some of the challenges that are related to the development of the high power hybrid laser welding process as well as to the perspectives for the technology as a production tool for the heavy metal industry. (c) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.