Method for preparing a workpiece for subsequent laser welding and method for joining workpieces through laser welding with lap joint
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorsSandro Pape, Manfred Breitmoser, Gerhard Gaull
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method for preparing a workpiece for subsequent laser welding, a recessed structure in the form of at least two grooved line elements is formed by a laser beam in a surface of the workplace, with the line elements having a common starting point from which the laser beam moves onwards to produce the line elements. Solidifying material melt of the workpiece is hereby accumulated in an area of the starting point to produce a nub-like elevation sized to extend out beyond the surface of the workpiece.
Claims17
A method for preparing a workpiece for subsequent laser welding, comprising moving a laser beam from a common starting point onward to produce in a surface of the workpiece a recessed structure in the form of at least two grooved line elements that meet in the common starting point and thereby accumulate solidifying material melt of the workpiece in an area of the common starting point to produce a nub-like elevation sized to extend out beyond the surface of the workpiece.
A method of joining at least two workpieces, with at least one of the workpieces being coated, comprising:
- moving a laser beam from a common starting point onward to produce in a surface of at least one of the workpieces in a joining region with the other one of the workpieces a plurality of recessed structures, each in the form of at least two grooved line elements that meet in the common starting point and thereby accumulate solidifying material melt of the at least one of the workpieces in an area of the common starting point to produce a plurality of nub-like elevations sized to extend out beyond the surface of the at least one of the workpieces;
- positioning and aligning the workpieces such as to form a degassing gap in a region of overlap of the workpieces;
- and
- joining the workpieces through laser welding, with evaporating coating material being able to escape via the degassing gap.
A method, comprising moving a laser beam from a same starting point onward in at least two directions in succession to produce in a surface of the workpiece a recessed structure in the form of at least two grooves and thereby build up solidifying material melt of the workpiece in an area of the starting point to produce in relation to the surface of the workpiece a nub-like elevation that serves as a spacer sufficient to define a degassing gap in an overlap region between the workpiece and another workpiece to be joined with the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.