Laser hybrid welding, laser MAG hybrid welding
The laser hybrid welding process combines the advantages of laser and MSG welding. The laser beam ensures deep penetration (deep welding with low line energy), while the use of an MSG electrode (filler material for filling the weld joint) compensates for gap tolerances. This enables a significant increase in productivity in many areas, including automotive engineering, pipelines and container construction.
Automation in laser hybrid welding
With the laser hybrid welding process, the seam volume required for the welded joint can significantly reduce the number of weld passes required for a joint; in many cases, a single weld pass is sufficient. While the laser ensures deep welding, the MSG process provides good gap bridging and reduces the requirements for seam preparation.
Laser-MSG hybrid welding combines the advantages of two processes.
The MSG process is an arc process with low investment requirements and is an effective source of energy. The filler material ensures better gap bridging, compensates for component tolerances, minimises the effort required for seam preparation and also allows the microstructure of the weld seam to be specifically influenced.
The laser enables a high seam depth-to-width ratio/deep welding, increasing the welding speed while reducing the thermal load on the components. This reduces strength losses in the heat-affected zone and thermal distortion.
MSG laser hybrid welding can be adapted relatively easily to proven automated processes such as welding robots and linear systems. It is a process that has established itself in shipbuilding, the automotive industry, transport, vehicle construction and container construction. MSG laser hybrid welding has great potential and is in high demand on the market.
Areas of application for the hybrid laser welding process
The targeted combination of laser-arc welding technologies in so-called hybrid welding processes offers many advantages, as demonstrated by their use in a wide range of industrial applications, such as the following:
- Shipbuilding
- Pipeline construction
- Container and tank construction
- Transport and traffic
- Energy
- Construction
- Bauwesen
Shielding gases/process gases for laser hybrid welding
Application-specific shielding gases and process gases allow the full potential of arc-laser hybrid processes to be exploited. The following aspects must be taken into account when selecting the appropriate shielding gases and process gases:
Process engineering process window with regard to plasma formation, plasma tendency during laser
Arc stability and material transfer during the arc process
- Materials, alloy composition, microstructure and surface condition
- Laser wavelength and laser power
- Component thickness and joining geometry
In addition to price stability, shielding gas/process gas solutions tailored to the material and laser can have a significant influence on the achievable welding result in terms of penetration shape, seam surface, seam quality, welding speed and shielding gas consumption.
The targeted use of the physical and chemical properties of the shielding gas can significantly influence the quality and productivity of the hybrid arc-laser welding process in terms of energy input, penetration geometry, deep welding, and reduction of pores and spatter.
Laser hybrid welding combines the productivity of laser welding with the depth and speed of MIG/MAG welding to fill and compensate for tolerances in the seam joint and seam gap.
This allows the advantages of laser welding to be utilised for thicker components, such as in shipbuilding, container construction and crane construction. At the same time, the necessary weld seam volumes, such as welding time and thermal stress on components, are significantly reduced.
In these highly automated processes, shielding gases can significantly increase process stability, productivity and weld seam quality, and considerably reduce rework and plant downtime.