Plasma heating effects during laser welding

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5375944

Lewis, G K; Dixon, R D

Laser welding is a relatively low heat input process used in joining precisely machined components with minimum distortion and heat affects to surrounding material. The CO/sub 2/ (10.6 ..mu..m) and Nd-YAG (1.06 ..mu..m) lasers are the primary lasers used for welding in industry today. Average powers range up to 20 kW for CO/sub 2/ and 400 W for Nd-YAG with pulse lengths of milliseconds to continuous wave. Control of the process depends on an understanding of the laser-plasma-material interaction and characterization of the laser beam being used. Inherent plasma formation above the material surface and subsequent modulation of the incident laser radiation directly affect the energy transfer to the target material. The temporal and spatial characteristics of the laser beam affect the available power density incident on the target, which is important in achieving repeatability in the process. Other factors such as surface texture, surface contaminants, surface chemistry, and welding environment affect plasma formation which determines the weld penetration. This work involves studies of the laser-plasma-material interaction process and particularly the effect of the plasma on the coupling of laser energy to a material during welding. A pulsed Nd-YAG laser was used with maximum average power of 400 W.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5375944
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-85-1141; CONF-850975-1; ON: DE85010776
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101 -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
42 ENGINEERING
420500* -- Engineering-- Materials Testing
ALUMINIUM
BLACKBODY RADIATION
COPPER
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
FABRICATION
GOLD
HEATING
JOINING
LASER WELDING
LASERS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA HEATING
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
RADIATIONS
RHODIUM
SILVER
SOLID STATE LASERS
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WELDING