Joint performance for laser cutting-welding of zinc-coated tailored blanks

The process of laser butt welding of zinc-coated steel (SGCD3 and WLZn) blanks was presented, whose edges were prepared by laser cutting. The properties of the butt joints, such as tensile strength, bending, stamping, weld shape, and corrosion-resistant were tested. The experiments of laser cutting and welding were carried out on a custom-made system designed, which is a set of equipment for wide sheet butt welding based on a laser cutting-welding combination process. The experiments proved the technological feasibility of laser butt welding for thin zinc coated steel sheets whose edges were prepared by laser cutting on the same equipment.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]