Laser-filler wire welding of Al-Si coated PHS
Winner
Excellence in Business to Business
Machines & Engineering
Credits
Development
Shanglu Yang, Wu Tao, Yanjun Wang, Jiazhi Zhang, Xuzhi Zhang
Details
Aluminum silicon coated press-hardened steels are widely used in the automotive industry to save vehicle weight and protect passengers’ safety. The long-standing process patented & exclusively monopolized by ArcelorMittal uses additional laser beam to remove Al-Si coating around the weld zone prior to laser welding, which added manufacturing cost & not green with dust. We have developed a world-first innovative laser-filler wire welding process without any pre-treatment process to directly laser weld different types, various grades of Al-Si coated PHS from the world’ suppliers. It has been used to produce more than 2 million of vehicles.
The Jury‘s Statement
The challenge of efficiently and environmentally connecting Al-Si coated press-hardened steels requires new approaches to reduce costs and complexity. Laser filler wire welding of Al-Si coated PHS offers a groundbreaking solution that enables laser welding with filler wire without prior coating removal. This process impresses with its versatility across different material combinations and coating thicknesses, as well as with remarkable cost-effectiveness and high production speed. The resulting joints meet the highest requirements for strength and elongation, sustainably enhancing safety and quality in the automotive industry. Thus, this innovation sets new standards in the field of laser welding of high-strength, coated steels.
