Laser beam welding device for sheet metal panels, e.g. in automotive industry, with deformation of free edge of one sheet metal panel to provide flow gap for escape of vapor resulting from welding process

摘要

The welding device (1) has a laser welding head (5) displaced along the overlapping region between upper and lower sheet metal panels (2,3) together with a pressure element (7) for pressing the sheet metal panels together at the welding point. At least one of the facing surfaces of the sheet metal panels has a coating which vaporizes during welding, the pressure element providing deformation of the free edge (11) of one sheet metal panel, for providing a wedge-shaped flow gap (12) for the coating vapor.