Laser welding in shipbuilding - an overview of the activities at Meyer Werft

摘要

Laser welding offers significant benefits to shipbuilders, reaching from increased welding speeds to decreased heat distortions and reduced re-work Meyer Werft in Germany has started to investigate the application of laser welding for innovative lightweight sandwich panels in 1994. Latest developments in steel and aluminium sandwich panels for shipbuilding, but also for other application areas are being presented. For butt and fillet welds in more conventional structures, laser hybrid welding - a combination of laser and GMA welding offers additional benefits compared to laser welding without or with cold filler materials. Based on intensive development work Meyer Werft has recently invested in a new steel manufacturing workshop, which is equipped with a total of four high power laser hybrid welding machines. The process as well as some technical solutions and applications are being outlined in the presentation.