Process for welding a workpiece e.g. thick metal plates, comprises passing a high energy beam with a vertical direction component into the workpiece and forming a deep melt in a welding groove

摘要

Process for welding a workpiece comprises passing a high energy beam with a vertical direction component into the workpiece and forming a deep melt (12) in a welding groove preventing the melt to flow under the influence of gravity through a supporting device. A current flow is produced in the lower region of the melt and a magnetic field is applied to this region. The magnetic field is orientated so that a volume force directed upward and acting on the lower region of the melt is produced which compensates for the hydrostatic pressure of the whole melt directed downward so the melt does not flow from the groove.