INVESTIGATION OF WELDING DEPTH WITH OVERLAPPING LASER-PULSES

Laser processing has became a valuable alternative to classical techni ques in a large variety of technical applications: cutting, drilling, welding, etc. The development of laser metal processing techniques nee d a deep understanding of the basic physical phenomena, like temperatu re distribution and its evolution in a target during laser metal inter action. The heat conduction equation have been solved using a numerica l method and the results are compared with penetration weld data obtai ned on tantal and stainless steel targets irradiated by a Kd:YAG laser with variable pulse width. Depending by pulses parameters (duration, rate of repetition, peak power, pulse-shape, and pulses overlapping th e depth of weld has been investigated.