Raw materials can be saved in the welding of high-performance electronics by using green lasers. This is the result of an investigation at the German Electron Synchrotron DESY of the Helmholtz Association in Hamburg. Together with Trumpf and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, the Hamburg researchers investigated laser welding processes used in the manufacture of e-cars. The conclusion: if a laser with a green wavelength is used, there is far less scrap than with other laser welding processes.
Copper is the most important material for manufacturing core components for e-mobility. The non-ferrous metal absorbs only about five percent of the laser radiation in the near infrared range (NIR) and conducts the heat very well. This leads to significant problems during welding. "Lasers with green wavelengths are the solution to the problem," says Mauritz Möller, automotive sector manager at Trumpf. Copper absorbs the green wavelength much better than the infrared. Because the material thus reaches its melting temperature more quickly, the welding process also starts faster and lower laser power is required. "More stable processes in welding mean fewer rejects and therefore more sustainability, which is a big issue in e-mobility," Möller says.