Hybrid GMA / laser beam welding for shipbuilding

Considerable primary inputs and in-house contributions were invested in the development of hybrid laser beam / GMA welding with ytterbium/fibre lasers. Therefore, SLV Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can today exhibit exclusivity characteristics in this field. Preliminary tests and feasibility studies have proven the suitability of this technology for applications in shipbuilding and steel construction.

When a one-sided welding station in the Aker shipyard in Turku, Finland, was retrofitted with a 6 kW fibre laser, a comprehensive safety concept for the utilisation of laser technology was also elaborated in addition to the qualification of hybrid laser/GMA welding, the designing of an adjusted hybrid welding head and the cooperation in the assembly of the installation in situ. At the start of November 2006, the DNV - "Det Norske Veritas" classification company granted the shipyard in Turku the authorisation for hybrid laser/GMA welding on the retrofitted installation.

The cited example shows one of the main focal points of the activities of the SLV - hybrid laser/GMA welding for the most diverse applications and users. The competence in this technological field with a promising future will be consolidated even further in the next few years as a result of various projects and development work. Thus, SLV Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is at the disposal of companies from the region, Germany and Europe as a competent partner.