Titanium alloys are choosen for many high temperature and high performance applications because they offer an unique combination of high strength, low density (about half of steel) and high corrosion resistance. There is an increasing interest on the laser beam welding of titanium alloys to expand their fields of application. Laser beam welding (LBW) has become an attractive competitor to the well established gas tungsten arc welding process (GTAW) in the recent years. It offers major advantages over GTAW, which are attributed to the low energy input (and hence lower distortions and residual stress levels) of this process. However, there is a need to establish the laser beam fusion zone microstructure and properties relationship for various Ti-alloys. This paper examines the microstructural development in the fusion zone and its influence on the fracture toughness properties.
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