 | 2009 |
Abstract:
Industries worldwide are confronted with the need for an increased use of aluminum alloys in various applications. Therefore the requirements result in the necessity for a multitude of joining and welding innovations. Applications of modern aluminum alloys are not constricted to common components anymore. In fact, they are used in ever more complex lightweight structures. However, this complexity has to be fulfilled by a higher geometric flexibility in laser welding and represents a major challenge for new approaches in working lightweight structures. The present work includes the welding of aluminum utilizing Bifocal Hybrid Laser Welding (BHLW) and a 6 kW high power diode laser (HPDL) for welding. The welding setups allow for welded butt- and fillet-welds of tubes under consideration of the hardly fusion weldable alloy AA6060. Welded joints of AA6060 are investigated metallographically in regard to the influence of process parameters like intensity and the interconnected penetration. The weldability is characterized by qualitative investigations of the microstructure as well as the mechanical behavior under quasistatic loading. The investigations result in an adequate welding process for AA6060