PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR BUT WELDING OF METAL SHEETS BY LASER IN ORDER TO PRODUCE COMPOUND METAL SHEETS

摘要

Sheet-metal parts (1, 2) which are to be butt-welded to one another are positioned with their end faces bearing against one another. In order to reduce the gap (3) to the size acceptable for laser welding, at least one sheet-metal part (2) is plastically deformed along the joining line so that material flows in the gap direction and reduces the gap width. In this way, sheet-metal parts cut to size with substantially less accuracy can be welded.