Comparison of laser and electron beam weldability of high-strength steels

Pressure vessels made of high-strength steels are usually welded by arc methods. The paper deals with the development of laser and electron thick-walled beam welding technology for the mentioned applications. The mechanical and structural properties of laser and electron beam welds of plates with a thickness of 5–20 mm are compared both with and without additional filling material. The study is completed with a detailed analysis of residual stresses and their relation not only to the used welding technology but also to the results in the weld area. Laser and electron beam welds achieve high mechanical values and sufficient fatigue life. Therefore, the technology has been verified and applied for welding the test pressure vessel.