Influence of Laser Power and Wavelength on the Resonant Interaction between Laser Radiation and TIG Welding Arc

The combination of a laser beam with several kW and an electric arc for laser hybrid welding has already been known for over 30 years for its beneficial properties in deep penetration welding, for instance for its increased speed or its gap bridging capabilities. More recent studies have drawn attention towards the role of the laser´s wavelength, especially when using lasers with power less than 1 kW. Choosing the wavelength close to a resonance wavelength of the argon shielding gas allows for an additional increase of the welding speed. This paper presents investigations on the resonant interaction between a low-power laser beam and a TIG welding arc, and discusses the effect of resonant atomic absorption at 810.4 nm and 811.5 nm, respectively.

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