AILU Workshop: High Power Laser Welding

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Introduction

Chair: Wojciech Suder (Cranfield University)

With high power fibre lasers now well-established as the laser of choice for welding metals, the thickness of laser welds in all metals is increasing. Keyhole welding, with or without the assistance of arc welding (to make hybrid welds) is possible in material greater than 50 mm thick. On the other hand, the high power lasers are capable of welding smaller thicknesses at very high speeds, opening up new applications involving high quality and high throughput reflective metals like copper and aluminium.

This workshop is aimed at sharing the latest results from researchers and manufacturers in the field of laser welding in the multi-kW regime. As price per watt continues to fall and wall-plug efficiency improves, the inherent viability of laser welding and the ease with which it can be automated makes it more and more the process of choice.

A range of speakers will present and exhibitors offering products to this market will be on hand to share information about their capabilities.  The MTC is located conveniently for the M6 motorway, between Coventry and Rugby and delegates will be able to tour the facilities at the end of the workshop.

Programme

09:30 – 10:00  Registration

10:00  – 10:10   Welcome & Introduction
Wojciech Suder, Cranfield University

10:10 – 10:30  Insight into the latest material joining development at the MTC
Kevin Withers, MTC

10:30 – 10:50   Overview of Laser Welding – When to use it and when not
Goncalo Pardal, Cranfield University

10:50 – 11:10   Utilising laser beam shaping technology to improve weld quality in high volume manufacturing for E mobility
Pasquale Franciosa, Warwick University  

11:10 – 11:40   Break

11:40 – 12:00  Dynamic Beam Lasers opening new parameters for laser welding
Meir Giladi, Civan Lasers, Israel 

12:00 – 12:20   High Power Laser Welding of Copper with and without Ultrasound
Phil Carr, Carrs Welding

12:20 – 12:40  Using laser welding to manufacture industrial machine drive belts
Peter Brown, Laser Additive Solutions

12:40 – 13:50   Lunch

13:50 – 14:10  Laser Welding for Fusion Machines
Tristan Tremethick, UKAEA

14:10 – 14:30  A comparison of the electron beam welding and laser in vacuum welding process for low-medium penetration applications
Max Nentwich, Cambridge Vacuum Engineering

14:30 – 14:50  Industrial laser cladding with metal cored wires
Jihane Guenoun, Welding Alloys,

14:50 – 15:20   Break

15:20 – 15:40 Beam Shaping Enhancements for Laser Welding
Callum Wreford, PowerPhotonic

15:40 – 16:00   International Training & Qualification for high Power Laser Welding
Eurico Assuncao, EWF, Portugal

Tour of MTC

Venue

ManufacturingTechnology Centre (MTC)
Ansty Park
Coventry
CV7 9JU

Getting to the MTC

Location/parking

MTC Location/parking

Main image courtesy Cranfield University