Influence of laser power on the melt pool shape of handheld laser beam welding of 1.5 mm thick micro alloyed steel

Manual welding of structures requires highly skilled welders due to the large heat-affected zone of arc-based processes, that can negatively impact microstructure and cause distortion. Handheld laser beam welding is a promising alternative with high welding velocity and a concentrated heat input. However, its current use in industry is limited to parts with aesthetic requirements, often made of high-alloyed steel. To extend the use of handheld laser beam welding to low-cost steels with good mechanical properties, this study investigates the influence of laser power on the melt pool shape for micro-alloyed steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm. Tested joint geometries are T-joints welded with filler wire as well as butt joints and overlap joints without filler wire, which are typically found in assemblies under mechanical load. Weld quality is assessed by weld porosity analysis. The results show that the handheld laser beam welding with filler wire produces T-joints with a very good external appearance, but with porosity between level C and D in the cross sections according to DIN EN ISO 13919-1. By increasing the laser power, a deep penetration of the T-joint zone can be achieved without increasing the actual throat thickness. For handheld laser beam welding of butt joints a full penetration weld of the highest quality class can be reached. Overlap joints can be welded with full or partial penetration depending on the laser power selected, with quality classes between B and C in terms of porosity.