Laser Beam Welding of Aluminum Alloys for Automotive Applications

The use of aluminum is rapidly gaining acceptance for structural applications in the automotive industry. While laser beam welding offers many advantages for joining of aluminum alloys, it also possess certain inherent characteristics that differentiates laser beam welding of aluminum alloys from ferrous materials. These characteristics include aluminum's high reflectivity, large differences in vapor pressure between aluminum and many of its alloying constituents, and relatively low surface tension and viscosity in the molten state. This paper addresses process requirements for effective laser beam welding of aluminum alloys designed primarily for automotive applications and characterization of welded joints commonly used in the automotive industry.