DESIGN, INTEGRATED FABRICATION, AND EXPERIMENTAL OPTIMIZATION OF OPERATING PARAMETERS FOR A 500W FIBER LASER METAL WELDING SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the research, design, and integrated fabrication of a prototype fiber laser metal welding system developed within a laboratory setting in Vietnam. The system comprises a fiber laser source with an output power exceeding 500 W, a center wavelength of 1070 nm, capable of operating in either continuous wave or modulated pulse mode at a frequency of 5 kHz. This source is coupled with a handheld laser welding head and an integrated laser wire feeder system for a 1 mm diameter filler wire. All components are synchronously controlled and their operating parameters configured via a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) with a touchscreen display. This configuration facilitates laser welding processes in either spot welding or seam/scan welding modes, achieving a weld bead width up to 2 mm. Furthermore, the report details experimental results aimed at optimizing the fiber laser welding technique. The studies focus on testing the parameters of the laser source, the welding head, weld bead geometry, and various joint configurations across a range of materials, specifically carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum alloys, with thicknesses varying from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The optimized laser welding parameters derived from this research have subsequently been applied in the deployment of the laser welding equipment for industrial applications in the fields of mechanical processing and machine manufacturing.