Hybrid electric-arc/laser welding process, especially for the welding of pipes or motor-vehicle components

Abstract

Hybrid welding process and unit for welding metal workpieces, such as tailored blanks, by using a laser beam and an electric arc, preferably a plasma arc, in which process, after a welded joint has been produced, the laser beam is sent and/or deflected into radiation absorption means, such as an absorption cavity, allowing the radiation of the said beam to be absorbed. The beam continues to be deflected during the welding stop phase after producing one welded joint and before starting to weld a second welded joint. The process and the unit of the invention are particularly suitable for the mass production of workpieces for the motor-vehicle industry, such as tailored blanks that can be used to manufacture, for example, motor-vehicle body components, or for the mass production of pipes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.