Numerical modelling of thermal phenomena in Yb:YAG laser welding process

This paper concerns numerical modelling of the Yb:YAG laser beam welding process. Numerical algorithms are developed for the analysis of thermal phenomena in a laser welded joint taking into account the motion of the liquid material in the welding pool. The model describing the laser beam heat source power distribution is developed on the basis of the kriging method. The heat source model uses the real laser beam profile obtained from experimental measurements of the beam emitted from a Trumpf D70 laser head performed on UFF100 analyzer. On the basis of developed numerical algorithms computer simulations of a Yb:YAG laser beam welding are carried out used to analyze the influence of the thermal load model on the shape and size of the weld.