Laser beam welding of aluminium

Abstract
Thanks to laser beam welding, lighter but at the same time more stable welded components can be produced. Laser welding of alloyed steel and stainless steel has already been used in industrial manufacturing for some years, whereras due to the properties of the material, laser welding of aluminium, particularly with Co sub 2 high-power lasers, was regarded as very difficult or even impossible. In comparison to steel, the high reflection (R > 95 %), the high heat conductivity (0,55 cal/cms degree C) and the low ionization energy (E sub 1 about 6 eV) make it more difficult to transfer the laser energy into the workpiece.