Experimental investigation of laser beam welding of explosion-welded steel/aluminum structural transition joints

The steel/aluminum structural transition joints are widely used in shipbuilding industry due to the advantages of joining these two materials with important weight savings while exploiting their best properties. The use of laser welding to strongly connect components made of Fe and Al alloys as base materials with Fe/Al structural transition joints is very attractive. The authors report results achieved during the laser welding of these particular joints with the scope to evaluate effects of the laser-induced thermal loads on the integrity of the Fe/Al bond interface, from metallurgical and mechanical points of view. The increase of both inter-metallic film thickness and extension were detected as a result of the laser beam induced heat on the Fe/Al bond interface. These increases did not cause severe reductions of the mechanical resistance of the investigated structural transition joint.