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Laser Welding

Laser welded tailored blank
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Car door frame formed from laser welded tailored blank

Tailored Blanks

Joining materials of different thickness, strength or coating type can produce a 'tailored blank' ready for pressing. Lasers are ideal for this application as they both cut individual blanks and weld the component parts to form a finished tailored blank.

Advantages of Laser Welding

  • High processing speed for high productivity
  • Flexibility gives multi-tasking capability
  • Low heat input gives minimal distortion
  • Ideal for automation
cross section of laser weld between sheets of differing thicknesses
laser welding

Benefits of Tailored Blanks

  • Cost saving.
  • Weight reduction.
  • Increased material utilisation.
  • Improved corrosion resistance.
  • Less press tooling required.

Tailored blanks are of prime importance in weight and cost savings for automotive body and structural components. The majority of car manufacturers utilise them and annual production is approximately 30 million and growing rapidly.

Laser welding has many benefits for tailored blank production including non-linear welds, welding of dissimilar thicknesses, the ability to weld aluminium tailored blanks, narrow weld and HAZ areas and proven industrial technology.

Contact:

Laser and Sheet Processes Group
TWI Ltd
Granta Park
Gt Abington
Cambridge, CB21 6AL (previously CB1 6AL), UK

email: lasers@twi.co.uk
Tel: 01223 899000
Fax: 01223 890661

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Information and advice from TWI and its partners are provided in good faith and based, where appropriate, on the best engineering knowledge available at the time and incorporated into TWI's website in accordance with TWI's ISO 9001:2000 accredited status. No warranty expressed or implied is given regarding the results or effects of applying information or advice obtained from the website, nor is any responsibility accepted for any consequential loss or damage.
Tel : +44 (0)1223 899000
Fax : +44 (0)1223 892588
Email : twi@twi.co.uk