Material properties of CO2-laser beam welded steels StE 355 and StE 460

The chemical composition and expecially the carbon content strongly influences the weldability when a laser beam is applied. This is mainly due to the low heat input, the short heat cycle of the solidified material, and the narrow heat affected zone (HAZ). Therefore different types of steel have been investigated concerning their suitability for laser beam welding. These investigations have been carried out as a group sponsored research project /1/ funded by the BMFT together with THYSSEN as an industrial partner. Steel plates of 10 and 20 mm thickness have been welded in butt weld configuration at the ILT and have been carried out as well as hardness measurements, tensile- and bending tests and Charpy impact tests.