Laser Beam Welding and Cutting
By using a laser, energy from a primary source (electrical, chemical,
thermal, optical, or nuclear) is converted to a beam of coherent electromagnetic
radiation at ultraviolet, visible, or infrared frequency. Because
high-energy laser beams are coherent, they can be highly concentrated
to provide the high energy density needed for welding, cutting, and
heat-treating metals.
As applied to welding, pulsed and continuously operating solid-state
lasers and lasers that produce continuous-wave (cw) energy have been
developed to the point that multikilowatt laser beam equipment based
on CO2 is capable of full-penetration, single-pass welding of steel to
3⁄4-in thickness.
Lasers do not require a vacuum in which to operate, so that they offer
many of the advantages of electron beam welding but at considerably
lower equipment cost and higher production rates. Deep, narrow welds
are produced at high speeds and low total heat input, thus duplicating
the excellent weld properties and minimal heat effects obtained from
electron beam welding in some applications. The application of lasers to
metals—for cutting or welding—coupled with computerized control
systems, allows their use for complex shapes and contours.

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