Arc-Assisted Laser Welding Brazing of Aluminum to Steel

Using laser beam as main heat source, and trailing arc as an assisted role, aluminum alloy was joined to galvanized steel in a butt configuration. Under suitable welding parameters, a sound welding seam was obtained. The interface intermetallic compounds layer and wetting behavior of weld joint were studied. The assisted arc can improve the wetting and spreading ability of weld pool duo to large temperature field. There are two different types of IMCs: near to the steel side one is Fe2Al5 with tooth-like shape and near to the weld seam side is the other one Fe4Al13 with flocculent-like shape. The highest tensile strength can reach 163 MPa when the fracture occurred at the weld seam.