PowerPhotonic’s ‘Tailshaper’ forms high power laser beams into shapes and profiles that are optimised for industrial welding applications. Independent tests of the Tailshaper, carried out by the Laser Beam Welding lab at WMG, The University of Warwick, showed excellent quality, morphology and improved strength in autogenous welding of Aluminium AA 6082.
Dr Stephen Kidd, Head of Sales and Marketing at PowerPhotonic, said, “The Tailshaper profile produced high-quality welds with AA 6082 – one of the most common Aluminium alloy used in the automotive industry. A 25% increase in tensile strength was achieved using autogenous laser beam welding, a technique requiring no filler wire. This simplifies the welding process, reducing sputtering and excess waste, to give neater welds that need less finishing”.
“The Tailshaper modifies spatial and temporal temperature gradients. Depending on the Tailshaper profile, either heating pre-weld or slowing cool down, post-weld. It, therefore, provides a more stable weld pool; reduces weld brittleness caused by rapid cooling; and leads to less air pockets and cracks along the weld line”
Dr Stephen Kidd concluded, “These welding trial results are tremendously encouraging and bring clear benefits to users. A little more work is needed to fully commercialise the Tailshaper and optimise welding profiles. However, these trials show it should bring many cost and performance benefits to welding applications, making a clear case to the commercial benefit of incorporating a Tailshaper into the beam delivery of laser welding equipment.”
For more information about PowerPhotonic Ltd contact:
sales@powerphotonic.com
For more information about the Laser Beam Welding lab at WMG contact:
Pasquale Franciosa
Laser Beam Welding (warwick.ac.uk)
WMG | University of Warwick | Coventry | CV4 7AL | UK