Abstract
The Nd:YAG laser process is known to have high speed and deep penetration capability to become one of the most advanced welding technologies. This paper describes the machining characteristics of SM45C carbon steel welding by use of an Nd:YAG laser. In spite of its good mechanical characteristics, SM45C carbon steel has a high carbon contents and suffers a limitation in the industrial application due to the poor welding properties. The major process parameters studied in the present laser welding experiment were position of focus, travel speed and laser power. Optical microscope and SEM were used to investigate the microstructures of the welded zone. The experimental results showed that penetration depth of the welding process increases with laser power. Both the microstructural investigation and the theoretical calculations indicated that materials undergoes a very high heating and cooling cycle during welding process. It was also found that the austenite nucleation takes place at the initial stage and the completion temperature of austenite transformation is much higher than in the case of the arc welding.
