Product Code: PIC2008_307

Humping Mechanisms during High-Speed Welding with Brilliant Lasers
Authors:
Axel Hess, FGSW Forschungsgesellschaft für Strahlwerkzeuge GmbH; Stuttgart Germany
Friedrich Dausinger, FGSW Forschungsgesellschaft für Strahlwerkzeuge GmbH; Stuttgart Germany
Presented at PICALO 2008

Further developments in laser beam sources as fiber and thin disk lasers allow deep penetration welding with unrivalled welding speeds because of their high brilliance. Thereby imperfections in the welding seam may occur - particularly humping as well as spatters. Visual and infrared high-speed videos show the location and the formation of the humps. The humping phenomenon during the high speed welding process at high aspect ratios creates a periodic beaded weld seam. Basic understanding of humping is the precondition for a larger application range relating to an increase in welding speed. The melt stream can be visualized by a great amount of cross and length sections of the weld seam. Therefore an indicator material is used for a better characterization in the melt flow. These observations allow to investigate the basics of the humping mechanisms and to find measures to suppress it.