Improvements of laser weldability of aluminum alloys by laser texturization

The application of laser beam welding to aluminum alloys has some complications, mainly due to their high reflectivity, high thermal conductivity and low viscosity. In order to increase the laser absorption of aluminum alloys, some surface treatments has been applied in the literature, such as the application of dark coatings or sandblasting. However, these conventional superficial treatments have some drawbacks, such as the low weld penetration, the possibility to undergo magnesium evaporation and the impossibility to control and/or change the superficial properties of the treated samples. In the present contribution, laser texturization treatments have been performed with a fibber laser for the first time on aluminum alloys to increase their weldability. These textured samples have shown better weldability than reference sandblasted samples.