HYBRID ARC/LASER WELDING WITH EARTH CONTACTOR POSITION CONTROL

摘要

Hybrid welding process using a laser beam and an electric arc to produce a weld bead. The electric arc is established between an electrode connected to a first pole of a current source and at least one workpiece to be welded and connected to a second pole of a current source via at least one electrically conducting earth contactor in contact with the said workpiece to be welded. To obtain effective welding, a contact is made between the earth contactor and the or a workpiece to be welded laterally and/or upstream of the point of impingement of the electric arc on the workpiece(s) to be welded, and considering the direction of formation of the welded joint, so as to balance the forces associated with the induced electromagnetic field acting on the puddle of liquid metal. The process and the unit of the invention are particularly suitable for the mass production of workpieces for tree motor-vehicle industry, such as tailored blanks that can be used for manufacturing, for example, the body components of motor vehicles, or aircraft structures or of pipes.