Joining of Ti-6AL-4V to AISI 304 Stainless Steel using Laser Spot Welding with Circular Technique

In this research, dissimilar laser spot welding of the Ti-6Al-4V and AISI 304 (stainless steel) was investigated. The joining of 0.7 and 0.5 mm thickness plates with using a copper interlayer of 0.2 and 0.3 mm in thickness was performed by LSW. A 400-W Nd: YAG laser pulse welding machine was used to obtain coaxial spot welds of 4 mm in diameter with circular technique. Visual inspection and metallographic examination were used for all samples. If no crack was identified, micro-Vickers hardness test, tensile test, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed on the samples. The result indicated that with a copper interlayer and 10.7 J heat input on peak power of 1.5 kW, welding frequency 15 Hz, and welding time of 7 ms, leading to an ultimate strength of 160 MPa.  In addition the result indicated that applying the circular technique by creating adjacent spot welds can produce a good joint.