The Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart will study dynamic beam laser welding keyhole fluid dynamics with high-speed X-ray video imaging.
Civan Lasers (Jerusalem) has delivered the Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart an OPA 6 dynamic beam laser (DBL). IFSW researchers will study Civan’s disruptive DBL technology using their unique high-speed X-ray video facility for laser materials-processing diagnostics. The system will allow researchers to view inside the melt pool during laser welding processes, further investigating the opportunities of using DBL technology to improve keyhole stability in industrial welding applications.
Other in situ diagnostics such as high-speed cameras and optical sensors reveal only phenomena on the surface of the process. In contrast, the IFSW high-speed, X-ray diagnostics system allows researchers to view with high spatial and temporal resolution the fluid dynamics occurring within process samples. With detection of features well below 250 μm in steel and maximum detection rates exceeding 10,000 Hz, the X-ray imaging system lets researchers better understand the origin of defects such as pores, spatter, and cracking.
“Civan’s patented coherent beam combination modulates beam shape as desired at speeds of up to hundreds of megahertz without any moving parts.”
“When developing improved laser-based manufacturing techniques for processes such as ablation, drilling, joining, cutting, and additive manufacturing, comprehensive diagnostics of melt pool and keyhole dynamics are crucial for understanding the interaction between laser beams and matter,” says Prof. Rudolf Weber, head of the process development department at IFSW. “We are thrilled to have access to this game-changing laser tool and are eager to improve the understanding of how Civan’s dynamic beam-shaping lasers can influence control of keyhole and melt-pool dynamics and be applied to industry’s most challenging materials-processing applications such as welding thick materials, asymmetric parts, dissimilar metals, and metals with coatings.”
Civan’s patented coherent beam combination modulates beam shape as desired at speeds of up to hundreds of megahertz without any moving parts. In addition to beam shape, Civan’s DBLs also enable control of shape frequency, shape sequence, and depth of focus. The ability to control these parameters is a powerful tool for optimization of evaporation in the capillary, the flow in the molten pool, the temperature gradients near the process and with it the solidification of the melt for any laser materials-processing application. Such control does away with pore, spatter, and crack formation while increasing feed rates and speeds in welding and additive manufacturing applications.
"IFSW already has projects funded by the Israel Innovation Authority in collaboration with Bosch and with the Israeli Institute of Metals as part of the LAMP [Laser for Advanced Material Processing] consortium," says Civan CEO Dr. Eyal Shekel. “The integration of our OPA 6 laser into IFSW’s X-ray facility will help researchers and industrial companies better understand the impact of laser beam shape, shape frequency, and shape sequencing on weld geometry and microstructure to tap into greater flexibility of laser processing.”
About Civan Lasers Civan Advanced Technologies Ltd. was established in 2008 and is the only company to offer dynamic beam lasers. Civan’s dynamic beam lasers allow manufacturers to control beam shape, frequency, sequence, and focus steering to eliminate spatter and increase welding power and speed. Through their advanced capabilities, dynamic beam lasers open the door to countless new applications. Visit: www.civanlasers.com
About the Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart The Institutefür Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW) of the University of Stuttgart, founded in 1986, aims to contribute to the progress of laser technology and its successful use in manufacturing applications with research and development work and through teaching. Contact: Jonas Wagner jonas.wagner@ifsw.uni-stuttgart.de