Laser based welding of cellular aluminium

Lightweight materials are becoming increasingly important in construction because of the potential for savings in resources and energy. The use of cellular materials is a promising approach to reduce the weight of components further. In the last decade, significant progress has been made in the production of aluminium foams. However, the lack of techniques for the further processing of these new materials has so far prevented widespread industrial use. The present paper reports the results from laser welding of aluminium foam, and shows that the process is a productive joining method for this innovative material, Because of the spatially limited energy input of the laser, a collapse of the foam structure can be effectively avoided. Based on the investigations carried out on the welding of aluminium foams, the process has been transferred to the joining of cellular aluminium with solid materials. The characteristics of the seams were evaluated using micro-computer tomography and reflective light microscopy as well as static and dynamic strength tests.