Metallographic Comparison for Laser Welding of Cu-ETP and CuSn6 with Laser Beam Sources of 515 nm and 1030 nm Wavelength

Laser micro welding is used for manufacturing of battery and fuel cell components for electrical applications. The laser micro welding process allows processing of parts in the micron range but reduces the surface quality of the parts at the same time. Laser beam sources with a wavelength in the near infrared range have established themselves for this purpose. Laser beam sources in the visible wavelength range however prove to be an alternative due to an increased absorption of the laser energy in copper-based alloys.This paper presents the observation of laser welding on Cu-ETP and CuSn6 with a 515 nm and 1030 nm disc laser regarding surface roughness and the weld seam geometry for deep penetration welding. The results are evaluated as a function of laser power and feed rate. Both laser beam sources are operated at same focal diameters. Experimental results are used to validate a keyhole model.