High-power fiber-coupled diode laser welding of 10-mm thick Inconel 617 superalloy

Abstract

In the present study, a high beam quality fiber-coupled diode laser was effectively utilized to weld 10-mm thick Inconel 617 superalloy in single pass. Influence of critical parameters of focusing distance and welding speed on weld characteristics was systematically investigated and optimized. At optimum process conditions with the power density of ≈106 W/cm2, crack-free full-penetration weld with minimal distortion, porosity, and no underfill/undercut/root-hump defects were obtained with 97%–99% joint efficiency. The weld joint quality produced was on par with multipass employing conventional lasers and advanced laser-hybrid welding techniques and sufficient enough to apply in various applications of thermal power plants, ship building, and heavy industries.