Unbounded keyhole collapse and bubble formation during pulsed laser interaction with liquid zinc

• Suppression of pore defects in keyhole laser spot welding demands for a theoretical description of the fundamental process. Investigating the unbounded keyhole collapse in liquid Zn instead of a solid provided a simplified situation offering several advantages. Improved high speed x-ray transmission imaging due to an enlarged keyhole in the absence of violent melt motion was enabled, which also facilitated the development of a semi-analytical mathematical model. Good correspondence between the experimentally and theoretically obtained transient keyhole and bubble shape permitted physical analysis by the model. Characteristic timescales were identified for post-vaporization, vapour relaxation, cooling, collapse, bubble contraction, oscillations and buoyancy. Recondensation due to rapid cooling turns out to be responsible for shielding gas flow into the keyhole, finally maintaining a spherical bubble. Creation of a convergent keyhole is a possibility to avoid bubbles.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Bearbetnings-, yt- och fogningsteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Produktionsutveckling

Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)