The method for laser welding of a kind of the above-mentioned type of expectation exploitation is so that realize high operating speed.
Utilize acid bronze alloy can realize this purpose as scolder according to the present invention.Workpiece for example is the workpiece of sheet metal shape, is chosen between 0.2 meter per minute and the 10 meters per minutes with respect to the relative velocity of weld zone, and the preferred value of relative velocity is greatly near 4 meters per minutes.The speed of adding scolder to the weld zone is the twice of workpiece relative velocity preferably.
Particularly when using the plated metal thin slice, use acid bronze alloy will form local copper as scolder, weld seam is ornamental gold like this.
According to the preferred embodiment of the inventive method, the hard scolder of selection work temperature between 650 ℃ and 1000 ℃.Scolder can be to comprise weight ratio to account for 40% the zinc and the strong solder of trace tin.In addition, can also use and comprise weight ratio and account for 40% zinc, weight ratio at least and account for 10% the nickel and the nickeline scolder of trace silver greatly.Same what be suitable for is to comprise silicon, the CuSi3 mixture scolder of (that is, comprise weight ratio and account for the scolder that 97% copper and weight ratio account for 3% silicon greatly greatly), and has been proved to be favourable.Another kind of preferred solder comprises aluminium, the CuAl8 mixture scolder of (that is, comprise weight ratio and account for the scolder that 92% copper and weight ratio account for 8% aluminium greatly greatly), and has been proved to be favourable.A kind of scolder of same particularly suitable comprises copper and weight ratio and accounts for 0.3% manganese and weight ratio greatly and account for 0.25% silicon greatly.
Can use the beam of laser bundle or use partly overlapping at least two bundle laser beams to realize method for laser welding of the present invention.In addition, can use two bundles not have laser beam overlapping or that do not overlap significantly at least to realize this method, wherein the focus of laser beam is positioned at scolder and the contacted zone of sheet metal to be welded.These focuses for example, can be designed as along the focal line (focus line) of sheet metal with respect to the relative velocity direction stretching, extension of weld zone.In addition, can also use and reciprocally moving past the scanning laser beam of weld zone with the sheet metal direction vertical with respect to the relative velocity direction of weld zone.
Can use Nd:YAG or carbon dioxide (CO
2) laser instrument generation laser beam, the laser power of Nd:YAG laser instrument is in 500W and 10, and between the 000W, the laser power of carbon dioxide laser is in 1000W and 40, between the 000W.
Yet, can also use one or more semiconductor lasers to produce laser beam, for example one or more semiconductor laser arraies.The preferred average operation wavelength of one or more semiconductor lasers is about 800 nanometers.If use semiconductor laser, laser power are preferably located in 500W and 10, between the 000W, particularly between 1000W and 5000W.If use a plurality of semiconductor lasers, particularly semiconductor laser array, just have the overlapping of diversified focus shape and light beam.
As in auto industry, can use scaling powder, particularly under the situation of welding plated metal thin slice and paint sheet metal.
Fig. 1 has described a kind of device that can be used for implementing method for laser welding of the present invention briefly.Coordinate system x, y, the z that indicates the angle orientation shown in Fig. 1 briefly example in the right hand portion of Fig. 1.Shown device comprises a flat back plate 1, and two planar metal thin slices 2,3 that are docking together each other along rectangle edge weld 4 are arranged thereon.Therefore, backboard 1 is parallel to thin sheet of metal workpiece 2,3, is parallel to the section on the engaging zones of thin sheet of metal workpiece 2,3.The soldering tip 5 that comprises laser beam importing unit 6 (not shown) and corresponding focus lens system 7 is depicted in the top of sheet metal 2,3 briefly.In addition, bonding wire gatherer 8 is installed in the inside of soldering tip 5, utilizes this bonding wire gatherer, and the scolder 9 that is bonding wire shape can add weld zone 11 to, and the focal area of the laser beam 10 that this zone is penetrated with soldering tip 5 basically is corresponding.
The top margin of sheet metal 2,3 and the angle between the direction of weld zone 11 interpolation scolders are represented with α in the y-z plane.The angle that adds between the center position of the direction of scolders and laser beam 10 to weld zone 11 in the y-z plane is represented with γ.Angle δ is oriented in the x-z plane, the center position of expression laser beam 10 and passing through on the surface of sheet metal 2,3 perpendicular to the angle between the line of the weld zone 11 of weld seam 4.
Fig. 2 briefly example the overlapped situation of two sheet metals 12,13.In this case, method for laser welding of the present invention produces filler weld 14.Same Fig. 2 example coordinate system x, a y, z, identical with Fig. 1 in this case, the direction of y direction indication weld seam 14.As can see from Figure 2 in the x-y plane interpolation direction of scolder 9 and weld seam 14 or and workpiece with respect to the angle β between the relative velocity direction of weld zone.
The relative velocity that sheet metal 2,3 or 12,13 moves along the y direction with respect to laser beam 10 in welding process is between 0.2 meter per minute and 10 meters per minutes, and preferred velocity amplitude is approximately 4 meters per minutes.Can be by way of propelling edge and sheet metal 2,3 or 12, the 13 direction interpolation scolders 9 identical with respect to the relative velocity direction of weld zone 11.In this case, β=0 °.In addition, scolder 9 can also add by driving style, promptly drags along the direction opposite with sheet metal 2,3 or 12,13 velocity attitudes that move with respect to the position of laser beam 10.In this case, β=180 °.For rectangle edge weld 4, β=0 ° is preferred.For filler weld 14, β=30 are preferred by °-50 °.For flange weld seam (Fig. 4 and Fig. 5), angle beta=0 ° or β=90 ° are preferred.
The interpolation speed of scolder 9 is chosen between 0.2 meter per minute and the 30 meters per minutes.Preferably, the speed of here selecting is 3 meters per minute to 15 meter per minutes.Proved that the ratio between the pace of the pace of sheet metal 2,3 or 12,13 and scolder 9 is 1: 2nd, particularly advantageous.
Can use auxiliary current, in this case, for example, the scolder 9 that is the bonding wire form is connected to the positive terminal of voltage source, and sheet metal 2,3 or 12,13 is connected to the negative pole end of voltage source.For example, for the electrical power that is approximately 10 kilowatts, the current density of auxiliary current is between 100 amperes to 400 amperes.Usually, it is favourable using the dc voltage source, but also can use the AC voltage source.Additional auxiliary current can make sheet metal 2,3 or 12,13 improve about 20% to 50% with respect to the relative velocity of the position of laser beam 10 and the pace of scolder 9.
The angle [alpha] of adding scolders 9 to weld zone 11 in the y-z plane is between 0 ° and 90 °, and preferably α=8 are °-30 °.Simultaneously, between γ=0 ° and γ=180 °, preferably γ=30 are °-90 ° in the angular range between the interpolation direction of the injection direction of y-z plane inner laser bundle 10 and scolder 9.Fig. 3 illustrates an example, and wherein the angle α between the surface of the interpolation direction of scolder 9 and sheet metal 16 equals 0 ° in the y-z plane, and simultaneously, the angle γ between the interpolation direction of the injection direction of laser beam 10 and scolder 9 equals 90 °.In the exemplary that this illustrates, scolder 9 is crooked on sheet metal 16, and it is being pressed against on the sheet metal near the weld zone like this.
The injection direction of laser beam 10 is between 0 ° to 150 ° with respect to the inclination angle δ of foil surfaces in the X-Z plane, is between 20 ° and 90 ° in this preferred angle.As another kind of situation, between 0 ° to 90 °, the result has influenced the interpolation direction of scolder 9 and the injection direction of laser beam 10 to the angle of inclination δ of whole soldering tip 5 in the X-Z plane greatly.Under this inclination situation, the preferable range of angle δ is from 60 ° to 90 °.
The thickness of the scolder 9 that uses is between 0.4 millimeter and 2 millimeters.Preferred thickness is between 0.8 millimeter and 1.2 millimeters.
According to the present invention, use copper parent metal 9.Specifically, should use the hard scolder of operating temperature between 650 ℃ and 1000 ℃.In this case, for example, recommend to use to have the strong solder that weight ratio accounts for 40% zinc at least outside the copper removal.The tin that in strong solder, also has trace.
As another kind of scolder 9 of the present invention, can use the nickeline scolder, have weight ratio in this scolder and account for 40% zinc and weight ratio at least and account for 10% nickel.In this case, it is favourable having micro-silver.
To help increasing flowability because add a spot of silicon, so might use the scolder 9 that mainly comprises copper and silicon mixture.In this case, for example, the spelter solder 9 of recommendation comprises weight ratio and accounts for 3% silicon (CuSi
3).In addition, can be to this CuSi
3Add lead in the scolder, reduce welding temperature with this.
Be that very favourable a kind of scolder 9 is that the weight ratio of the spelter solder with aluminium mixture, particularly aluminium accounts for 8% mixture (CuAl equally
8).Another kind of very favourable scolder 9 is spelter solders, and it comprises weight ratio and accounts for 9% tin, weight ratio and account for 0.3% manganese and weight ratio and account for 0.25% silicon.
For laser instrument, for example, can use the Nd:YAG laser instrument of continuous operation.The operation wavelength of Nd:YAG laser instrument is usually about 1064 nanometers, but it can be used as frequency double laser and is operated in 532 nanometers.The laser power of using is in 500W and 10, between the 000W.The preferred laser power of using is between 2000W and 4000W.If the Nd:YAG laser works is in the frequency multiplication pattern, the power of selection should be between 10W and 1000W.
Can also use carbon dioxide (CO
2) laser instrument, wherein power selection is in 1000W and 40, between the 000W.The preferred power bracket of using is between 2000W and 5000W.
Yet, can also use one or more semiconductor lasers, for example one or more semiconductor laser arraies.If use a plurality of semiconductor lasers, particularly semiconductor laser diode array, may have the overlapping of a variety of focus shapes and light beam so.
The size of focus surface region is decided by the type of weld seam to be welded.The focus surface region is preferably located between the minimal surface district that determined by diffraction limit and about 25 square millimeters.
Particularly under the situation of welding plated metal thin slice, can use scaling powder, because zinc plays tackifier, and at part generation brass.In addition, the paint sheet metal that for example uses in auto industry can directly carry out laser weld and needn't use scaling powder.Can under the condition of not protecting gas, realize the inventive method, but also can use nitrogen, argon gas, helium and/or carbon dioxide as protection gas.
Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 example the welding method of flange weld seam.Welding method of the present invention can be crossed over 0.5 to 1 times the slit that width is the bonding wire diameter.Fig. 4 a example utilize scolder 9 and be split into the method for two sheet metals of LASER BEAM WELDING 17,18 of two beamlets 19,20.The focus of two beamlets 19,20 is positioned at sheet metal 17,18 and scolder 9 contacted intra-zones.Shown in Fig. 4 b, in this case,, can use focal line 21,23 as the alternative of focus.
Corresponding bifocus technology can also be applied to other weld seam, in this case, for example, the sheet metal material in the wideer slightly focus area of heating surface district, and the scolder 9 in the narrower focus molten solder district.Utilize suitable lens combination to produce two focuses or two focal line by single laser beam.
Fig. 5 has shown the another embodiment of method for laser welding of the present invention, and wherein sheet metal 17,18 is docking together mutually in the flange commissure.In this case, the laser instrument 23 of use can reciprocally move along arrow 24 indicated directions, like this laser instrument 23 can also guarantee scolder 9 with sheet metal 17,18 contacted zones in melt.