Prospects of laser welding technology in the automotive industry: A review

The prospects for the use of lightweight materials (aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and titanium alloys) in high volume vehicle manufacturing are discussed. Laser welding of galvanized steel is compared to resistance spot welding of galvanized steel, along with ongoing efforts to improve the quality of laser welding of galvanized steel by altering the weld configuration, changing the element composition, utilizing a pulse laser, and removing the zinc coating. The feasibility of implementing these techniques in the industrial setup is discussed. Microstructure changes and defects encountered during laser welding of these materials are described, and mechanical properties of welds such as hardness, shear and tensile strength are analyzed. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.