A numerical approach to the energy efficiency of laser welding

Abstract

The industrial sector is increasingly concerned with energy consumption, due to the environmental burden and increased cost. An action plan requires the study of energy efficiency in manufacturing processes, especially energy-intensive processes. The energy consumption, during the assembly, plays a significant role on the product’s final energy and eco-evaluation. In this paper, there is a presentation of an in-depth study of the energy efficiency of joining processes. The laser welding process is also discussed in detail, since it has been an increasingly indispensable part of competitive manufacturing throughout the world, and it is a thermal process with relatively low energy efficiency. Important outcomes, regarding the dependence of energy efficiency and weld pool geometry on process parameters, have been derived.