Laser Butt Welding of Brass and Stainless Steel

Abstract

A welded joint formed between stainless steel and a copper-base alloy is a combination of materials with high corrosion resistance and high mechanical strength and materials with high thermal conductivity. Such a combination is suitable for applications in heat exchangers and piping design among others. Forming a welded joint between stainless steel and a copper-base alloy is difficult because the physical properties of the two metals—such as thermal conductivity and melting point—are different, and they do not form an alloy. In this study, we propose a method for butt welding brass and stainless steel using a disk YAG laser by selecting appropriate bonding conditions, and evaluate the characteristics of the joint. The results indicate that a good weld can be obtained by shifting the laser irradiation position to the brass side.

Keywords

• laser welding
• yag laser
• brass
• stainless steel
• shift amount