GMA-laser hybrid welding of high-strength fine-grain structural steel with an inductive preheating

Abstract

The industrial use of GMA-laser hybrid welding has increased in the last 10 years, due to the brilliant quality of the laser beam radiation, and higher laser output powers. GMA-laser hybrid welding processes operate in a common molten pool. The combination of the laser beam and the arc results in improved welding speed, penetration depth, heat affected zone and gap bridgeability. Single-layer, GMA-laser hybrid welding processes have been developed for high-strength fine-grain structural steels with a grade of S690QL and a thickness of 15 mm and 20 mm. In addition, the welding process is assisted by an integrated, inductive preheating process to improve the mechanical properties of the welding seam. By using the determined parameters regarding the energy per unit length, and the preheating temperature, welding seams with high quality can be achieved.