Laser Welding in the Automotive Industry

The applications of laser in the manufacture of components cover engine parts, transmission parts, alternators, solenoids, fuel injectors, fuel filters, air conditioning equipment and air bags. The attractions of laser welding for these applications are the ability to weld pre-machined precision components with restricted heat input and minimal distortion. This enables weight savings to be made through the use of thin walled assemblies and optimisation of the compactness of the component.

In industrial production, the advantages of the laser welding process have been established compared to alternatives such as electron beam welding. This is due mainly to the high productivity and small amount of down-time compared to vacuum based systems and the subsequent reduced manufacturing costs. However, there is a need to spend a high amount of effort on component preparation and high precision of component handling and beam transmission is required.

Most automotive manufacturers have invested heavily in CO2 laser technology for these types of applications and most of the issues relating to the production of millions of components have been resolved. Developments have focused on expanding the range of material combinations which can be welded using lasers, including joining of cast irons to steels through the use of wire feed techniques and optimisation of the procedures to harden components whilst avoiding problems with cracking due to high carbon levels in the weld zone.