Experimental Investigation of Laser Welding Process in Overlap Joint Configuration
Open Access
- 1 January 2019
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Scientific Research Publishing, Inc. in Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering
- Vol. 07 (03), 16-31
- https://doi.org/10.4236/msce.2019.73002
Abstract
This paper presents an experimental investigation of laser overlap welding of low carbon galvanized steel. Based on a structured experimental design using the Taguchi method, the investigation is focused on the evaluation of various laser welding parameters effects on the welds quality. Welding experiments are conducted using a 3 kW Nd:YAG laser source. The selected laser welding parameters (laser power, welding speed, laser fiber diameter, gap between sheets and sheets thickness) are combined and used to evaluate the variation of three geometrical characteristics of the weld (penetration depth, bead width at the surface and bead width at the interface). Various improved statistical tools are used to analyze the effects of welding parameters on the variation of the weld quality and to identify the possible relationship between these parameters and the geometrical characteristics of the weld. The results reveal that the reached hardness values are similar for all the experimental tests and all welding parameters are relevant to the weld quality with a relative predominance of laser power and welding speed. The effect of the gap is relatively limited. The investigation results reveal also that there are many options to consider for building an efficient welds quality prediction model. Results achieved using an artificial neural network based simplified model provide an indication of the prediction model performances.Keywords
This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effects of welding parameters on fibre laser lap weldability of galvanised DP1000 steelScience and Technology of Welding and Joining, 2015
- Research on key influence factors of laser overlap welding of automobile body galvanized steelOptics & Laser Technology, 2013
- Optimization of laser welding thin-gage galvanized steel via response surface methodologyOptics and Lasers in Engineering, 2012
- Analysis of YAG laser lap-welding of zinc coated steel sheetsCIRP Annals, 2008
- Study of CW Nd-Yag laser welding of Zn-coated steel sheetsJournal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2006
- The use of Nd:YAG laser weld for large scale volume assembly of automotive body in whiteJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2005
- Laser welding of zinc coated steel in overlap configuration with zero gapScience and Technology of Welding and Joining, 2005
- Review of laser hybrid weldingJournal of Laser Applications, 2005
- A comprehensive review for industrial applicability of artificial neural networksIEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 2003
- Welding Zinc-Coated Steel with a Laser and the Properties of the WeldmentJournal of Laser Applications, 1991