Thin plate gap bridging study for Nd:YAG pulsed laser lap welds.

Abstract

In an on going study of gap bridging for thin plate Nd:YAG laser lap welds, empirical data, high speed imaging, and computer modeling were utilized to better understand surface physics attributed to the formation and solidification of a weld pool. Experimental data indicates better gap bridging can be achieved through optimized laser parameters such as pulse length, duration, and energy. Long pulse durations at low energies generating low peak powers were found to create the highest percent of gap bridging ability. At constant peak power, gap-bridging ability was further improved by using a smaller spot diameter resulting in higher irradiances. Hence, welding in focus is preferable for bridging gaps. Gas shielding was also found to greatly impact gap-bridging ability. Gapped lap welds that could not be bridged with UHP Argon gas shielding, were easily bridged when left unshielded and exposed to only air. Incident weld angle and joint offset were also investigated for their ability to improve gap bridging. Optical filters and brightlight surface illumination enabled high-speed imaging to capture the fluid dynamics of a forming and solidifying weld pool. The effects of various laser parameters and the weld pool's interaction with the laser beam could also be observed utilizing the high-speed imaging. The work described is used to develop and validate a computer model with improved weld pool physics. Finite element models have been used to derive insight into the physics of gap bridging. The dynamics of the fluid motion within the weld pool in conjunction with the free surface physics have been the primary focus of the modeling efforts. Surface tension has been found to be a more significant factor in determining final weld pool shape than expected.

Prediction of Weld Joint Shape and Dimensions in Laser Welding Using a 3D Modeling and Experimental Validation

“…The numerical simulation only represents the displacements; no gap bridging is done in the simulation. An investigation on gap bridging of pulsed laser welding reveals an advanced finite element model with fluid motion and free surface physics [15]. The effect of many parameters on the ability of gap bridging is examined.…”