Laser Welding of Copper Using Multi Mode Fiber Lasers at Near Infrared Wavelength

Due to the increasing electrification of automotive drives and the expansion of decentralized renewable energygeneration, the consumption of copper for the fabrication of electrical components such as electric motors or conducting paths increases. To jointhese components, laser welding is more frequently used since it represents a flexible and fully automatable joining process. Because of the high thermal conductivity, the low absorption coefficient forinfrared wavelength of common laser beam sources and the resulting limited process efficiency, welding of copper alloys represents a major challenge for laser assisted processes. In this paper, experimental investigationsare presented to identify arising process limits during laser welding of pure copper materials with multi-mode fiber lasers at near infrared wavelength depending on the applied laser power and welding velocity. In addition, a potential stabilization of the welding process by shielding gas support was examined. Further investigations were focused on the influence of shielding gas on the molten pool geometry.