Laser Transmission Welding of Thermoplastic: Effect of Process Parameters on Weld Strength

摘要

This paper investigates the effect of the laser welding parameters such as laser power, welding speed on weld strength. A 30W fiber laser with wavelength 1064nm has been used to weld transparent and absorbing acrylics in lap weld configuration. The force at break of the lap welds was assessed on the Universal testing machine, the shear strength was calculated by dividing the force at break by the weld area. Weld fracture surfaces and weld cross-sections were also analyzed under microscope using reflected polarized light to qualitatively assess the weld quality.