As the automotive industries require new cost efficacy and high quality assembly systems, COMAU, in cooperation with Centro Ricerche Fiat, is developing a car body laser welding production device based on the Nd:YAG multifibre concept.
The laser welding system is composed by an high power Nd:YAG laser source, a modular beam distributor operating with short switching time, a series of fibres and focusing heads integrated with the assembly device; a special device to monitor the quality of the spot is integrated inside the laser system.
A modular optical multiplexer system and innovative focusing optics, suitable for different laser spot shapes, have been developed.
An example of application on a car body sub-assembly is given and preliminary results of the investigation are presented.