abstract
- © Copyright SPIE. Laser Micro-Spot Welding (LMSW) of metal sheets is a process widely used in medical, automotive and aerospace industries. This paper shows a process parameter selection for LMSW with AISI 302 stainless sheets, 254 ¿m in thickness. Experimental tests considered laser power, exposure time and focal distance parameters. The experimental setup produces the laser focal point over the part surface with a focal distance of 13.00 mm. The best results were obtained with an unfocused beam at a focal distance of 16.00 mm. Under the experimental conditions of this research, successful joining of AISI 302 thin sheets through LMSW is achieved with a combination of 175 W of average laser power and 0.25 s of exposure time (or a combination of 125 W and 1.00 s.). The width of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) was found to be 8% larger than the spot weld width, in average.