Nd:YAG – Laser – GMA – Hybrid Welding in Shipbuilding and Steel Construction

Abstract

The paper deals with the Nd:YAG-laser – GMA – hybrid welding process for the use in shipbuilding and steel construction. The advantages of a laser – arc – hybrid welding process in comparison with a laser alone or an arc alone welding process are shown. The current possibilities of the Nd:YAG-laser – GMA – hybrid welding process are shown by some results from hybrid welding of steel and aluminium alloys. Furthermore the advantages of the Nd:YAG-laser technology, especially for a simple and flexible automation are described. The Nd:YAG-laser – GMA – hybrid welding is a process which demands a higher degree of automation in shipbuilding. Regarding to the advantages and related to the available Nd:YAG-laser sources a perspective for the use of the Nd:YAG-laser technology in shipbuilding and steel construction is pointed out. A current German research project under participation of the authors is presented in the paper. One aim of this project is to develop a system for the automatically programming of robots and other welding systems in shipbuilding. Therefore the new programming tool should use the real geometrical data of the component before welding, resulting from a image processing tool. Concluding, the first manufacturing system in ship-building (a welding gantry for 12 meter T-joints) outfitted with Nd:YAG-laser – GMA – hybrid welding equipment at a German shipyard is presented. The retrofitting of this welding gantry has been planned and accompanied by the company the authors are with.