Closed-loop power and focus control of laser welding for full-penetration monitoring

Fabrice Bardin; Adolfo Cobo; Jose M. Lopez-Higuera; Olivier Collin; Pascal Aubry; Thierry Dubois; Mats Högström; Per Nylen; Peter Jonsson; J. D C Jones; Duncan P. Hand

Closed-loop power and focus control of laser welding for full-penetration monitoring

Fabrice Bardin, Adolfo Cobo, Jose M. Lopez-Higuera, Olivier Collin, Pascal Aubry, Thierry Dubois, Mats Högström, Per Nylen, Peter Jonsson, J. D C Jones, Duncan P. Hand

School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We describe a closed-loop control system ensuring full penetration in welding by controlling the focus position and power of a 4-kW Nd:YAG laser. A focus position monitoring system was developed based on the chromatic aberration of the focusing optics. With the laser power control system we can determine the degree of penetration by analyzing the keyhole image intensity profile. We demonstrate performance in bead-on-plate welding of Inconel 718 and titanium. The focus control system maintained a focal position on tilted and nonflat workpieces, and the penetration monitoring technique successfully controlled the laser power to maintain the full-penetration regime in the presence of linear and step changes of thickness. Finally we discuss the performances and the limits of the systems when applied to a realistic complex aerospace component. © 2005 Optical Society of America.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	13-21
Number of pages	9
Journal	Applied Optics
Volume	44
Issue number	1
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2005

Cite this

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abstract = "We describe a closed-loop control system ensuring full penetration in welding by controlling the focus position and power of a 4-kW Nd:YAG laser. A focus position monitoring system was developed based on the chromatic aberration of the focusing optics. With the laser power control system we can determine the degree of penetration by analyzing the keyhole image intensity profile. We demonstrate performance in bead-on-plate welding of Inconel 718 and titanium. The focus control system maintained a focal position on tilted and nonflat workpieces, and the penetration monitoring technique successfully controlled the laser power to maintain the full-penetration regime in the presence of linear and step changes of thickness. Finally we discuss the performances and the limits of the systems when applied to a realistic complex aerospace component. {\textcopyright} 2005 Optical Society of America.",

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AU - Bardin, Fabrice

AU - Cobo, Adolfo

AU - Lopez-Higuera, Jose M.

AU - Collin, Olivier

AU - Aubry, Pascal

AU - Dubois, Thierry

AU - Högström, Mats

AU - Nylen, Per

AU - Jonsson, Peter

AU - Jones, J. D C

AU - Hand, Duncan P.

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Closed-loop power and focus control of laser welding for full-penetration monitoring

Abstract

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