Deep penetration welding of nickel aluminum bronze

Recent advances in laser technology has enabled the achievement of high power and high quality beams by diode pumping of Nd:YAG slabs. TRW, under the Precision Laser Machining Program funded by DARPA, has produced a 3 kW diode pumped Nd:YAG slab laser. The effectiveness of this new laser was examined in recent welding tests on C95800 nickel aluminum bronze. The beam parameters were 1700W at the workpiece, with a pulse repetition rate of 1000Hz and a pulse width of 170 mu s. Linear and serpentine welding patterns were used with welding speeds ranging from 2.11 to 127 mm/s. At the slowest speed, penetration depths exceeded 35 mm and 17 mm with the use of a 360 mm and a 517 mm focal length focussing lens respectively. Details of the metallurgy and the effect of welding speed on weld quality are examined.