High-brilliance and VIS wavelength laser: perspective for laser welding and laser metal fusion

The automotive industry, especially electric vehicles, opens a large variety of new laser-based applications. Particularly, the importance of high reflective materials such as copper and aluminum increased and lead to technology developments in laser devices and laser materials processing. The key factors are high brilliance, new wavelengths, and beam shaping, as well as new sensors. This contribution highlights the latest achievements and technology trends in the area of welding of copper components widely used in the E-Mobility industry. It is shown that the green wavelength supports the stability of the welding process. In addition, it is shown, that in thick materials, the NIR-laser in combination with beam shaping approaches, such as superimposed beams, can drastically decrease cycle times and increase welding depths with lasers of higher brilliance. In this contribution, laser applications for battery cell production and power electronics are demonstrated. It is shown how the applications can be sorted in those who benefit most from green and from NIR laser wavelength, both a domain of the disc laser. We show that advanced process strategies enable to use the full potential of those laser tools. Apart from welding applications, green wavelength enables unseen new applications in 3D printing of copper parts.