Modelling for predicting seam geometry in laser beam welding of stainless steel

•Thermal phenomena in laser beam welding at high speeds on thin wall components.•Analytical modelling of deep penetration laser welding of stainless steels.•Process parameters optimization based on experimental results.•Experimental test case: the assembly of fuel injectors.

A methodological approach for analytical modelling of deep penetration laser beam welding (LBW) of stainless steels and its experimental verification is provided. After an analysis of the problem in general terms and a review of the modelling activity, a particular double source model is proposed and discussed. The model allows the derivation of penetration and width of melting zone caused by moving laser beam. Dependences of penetration length, width of the melting zone and aspect ratio of the zone were derived as a function of welding speed and laser power. The theoretical results obtained using the particular model are discussed and analyzed in comparison with experimental data obtained on a typical test case. Optimal conditions for obtaining a preliminary optimization of the process parameters were derived based on experimental results. The case study in the present paper, referred to the assembly of fuel injectors for automotive industry, demonstrates that when laser welding is performed at high speeds on thin wall components the energy released by the laser per unit of surface (energy density, ED) can be used to describe the heat transfer to the material and to shorten the experimental phase avoiding the dependencies on each single process parameter.