Preface
In 1917, Albert Einstein, put forward the concept of stimulated emission and discovered the photoelectric effect, laying theoretical foundation for the invention of laser.
In May 1960, Dr. Maiman, an American physicist, created the world’s first ruby
laser based on the development of quantum electronics, marking the beginning of
research on laser and its application. In the early 1960s, reports began to appear
about the technical applications related to laser drilling and welding. With continuous improvement on laser technology and laser beam quality and increasing output
power, lasers are quickly applied to material processing as the light and heat sources
of high-energy density beams, forming a special material processing technology
cluster of great significance—laser processing technology. This technology has a
wide range of advantages such as non-contact, precise energy control, suitability to
a variety of materials, strong flexibility, high quality, resource saving, and environmental friendliness. It can be used not only for efficient and automatic mass production, but also for small-scale processing of multiple varieties of materials, and even
for product customization. This makes the laser processing technology essential for
transformation and upgrading of the traditional manufacturing industry. After years
of development, the laser processing technology has developed into a high-energy
beam processing technology, becoming one of the three important technical means in
three major manufacturing technologies—welding and removal, surface engineering
and additive manufacturing (3D printing). The laser processing technology can be
divided into many categories, such as welding, cutting, drilling, rapid prototyping,
etching, micro-nano processing, surface modification, spraying and vapor deposition, and play an important role in many fields of national economy and defense
development.
Compared with traditional arc welding technology, the laser welding technology,
typical of the laser processing technology, has an array of advantages such as highenergy density (up to 10
15 W/cm
2 ), high depth-to-width ratio of weld joints, small
heat-affected zone, small deformation, high quality and performance of the joints,
high production efficiency, and flexible control and operation. The laser welding
technology has enormous potential for welding.
The laser welding technology develops along with the advancement of laser technology. The laser welding method moves from heat conduction welding towards deep
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In 1917, Albert Einstein, put forward the concept of stimulated emission and discovered the photoelectric effect, laying theoretical foundation for the invention of laser.
In May 1960, Dr. Maiman, an American physicist, created the world’s first ruby
laser based on the development of quantum electronics, marking the beginning of
research on laser and its application. In the early 1960s, reports began to appear
about the technical applications related to laser drilling and welding. With continuous improvement on laser technology and laser beam quality and increasing output
power, lasers are quickly applied to material processing as the light and heat sources
of high-energy density beams, forming a special material processing technology
cluster of great significance—laser processing technology. This technology has a
wide range of advantages such as non-contact, precise energy control, suitability to
a variety of materials, strong flexibility, high quality, resource saving, and environmental friendliness. It can be used not only for efficient and automatic mass production, but also for small-scale processing of multiple varieties of materials, and even
for product customization. This makes the laser processing technology essential for
transformation and upgrading of the traditional manufacturing industry. After years
of development, the laser processing technology has developed into a high-energy
beam processing technology, becoming one of the three important technical means in
three major manufacturing technologies—welding and removal, surface engineering
and additive manufacturing (3D printing). The laser processing technology can be
divided into many categories, such as welding, cutting, drilling, rapid prototyping,
etching, micro-nano processing, surface modification, spraying and vapor deposition, and play an important role in many fields of national economy and defense
development.
Compared with traditional arc welding technology, the laser welding technology,
typical of the laser processing technology, has an array of advantages such as highenergy density (up to 10
15 W/cm
2 ), high depth-to-width ratio of weld joints, small
heat-affected zone, small deformation, high quality and performance of the joints,
high production efficiency, and flexible control and operation. The laser welding
technology has enormous potential for welding.
The laser welding technology develops along with the advancement of laser technology. The laser welding method moves from heat conduction welding towards deep
vii