New laser welding process
Faster and more accurate welding for a wider range of materials can provide major benefits for Europe's economy. The IPCIM project successfully developed ground-breaking laser welding control processes for new steel grades. Project partners focused on the reliability and reproducibility of the new methods, which could be used to weld together large sections and sheet metal for use in manufacturing industry. Work undertaken by the IPCIM consortium helps European manufacturers open up national, European and worldwide markets to new products made from specialised grades of steel. They include lightweight construction materials created from very high-strength steel. Improved materials and techniques also ease the environmental impact of manufacturing processes. The project provided the ideal circumstances for establishing closer ties between European institutes and manufacturers working in the field of laser technology and materials processing. Furthermore, a dependable and efficient welding process that can be applied to a wide range of materials will allow EU industry to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
