When two experts discuss a subject, it can be very interesting and exciting. Sharing this exchange with as many people as possible who are thirsty for knowledge is very close to my heart. For this reason, I would like to offer a new format to all interested persons: the Weld Lounge. In the Weld Lounge, I welcome top-class discussion partners from the diverse world of welding on a wide range of specialist topics.
My first invitation was accepted by Thibault Bautze-Scherff – Sales Manager and Member of the Management Board of Blackbird Robotersysteme GmbH from Munich. He is an absolute technical expert in the field of laser welding and also gives lectures on international journeys specifically on the subject of remote laser welding in a wide variety of application areas.
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The beginnings of laser joining in automotive production
In this first Weld Lounge, the focus was on remote laser welding and in particular on applications in automotive production and e-mobility. Did you know that lasers were already used in the 1970s in the first automotive production projects? Laser technology was introduced into series production in the 1980s. But the applications were far away from those we know today. Only in the 1990s lasers were established as a standard joining process. However, only at manufacturers of high-priced vehicles such as Audi or BMW. Development quickly picked up speed and by the turn of the millennium, laser technology had become a joining method used in the production of vehicle classes in the medium and high-price segments. Today, laser welding or laser brazing is a standard process in automotive production.
What the highly automated laser joining is capable of
Compared to arc welding, laser welding or laser brazing offers the following advantages when joining thin metal sheets:
- finest, very precise weld seams
- very low heat input and thus less distortion
- accessibility from only one side required (compared to resistance spot welding)
- very high joining speeds of 3 to 6 m/min, in some cases up to 40 m/min
- very fast movements between the welds
Questions and answers about laser welding
What else makes laser joining an indispensable process for vehicle production? What are the differences between remote laser welding and tactile laser welding and when to use which method? How does process monitoring work in laser joining and what is the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT)? What exactly are the main fields of application for laser welding and laser brazing in automotive production? What are the advantages of these processes and where are the challenges – especially with regard to different materials that have to be joined together? And the final question: What is the trend of manual laser welding all about?
If you are interested in the answers to these and other questions, be sure to watch the video of the first exchange of experts with the WELDPROF®, which will be available on my YouTube channel on 14th of April 2023. A teaser video with the first insights is already available!
Are you interested in other topics?
In general, every visitor to the WELDPROF® website can ask me specific questions via »Ask the WELDPROF®«. I am happy to answer them by e-mail or in one of my video formats. Interaction with interested parties from the world of welding and joining technology is expressly desired!
