The automotive industry faces a challenge in balancing the need for fuel-efficient lightweight materials to improve the range of electric vehicles with solid and safe vehicles to protect passengers. Aluminum-silicon-coated press-hardened steels (PHS) are a promising solution, but these materials pose a unique challenge in laser welding.
The presence of the Al-Si coating often leads to the formation of brittle delta-ferrite phases during welding, compromising the strength and integrity of the weld. Traditional methods require a costly laser ablation process to remove the coating before welding, significantly increasing manufacturing costs.
PANGUJ, from Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, is a new offering designed to eliminate this expensive step. Its filler wire, featuring a unique chemical composition, enables sustainable laser welding of PHS regardless of coating thickness, strength grade, or thickness combinations.
PANGUJ’s filler wire eliminates the need for laser ablation and improves weldability, reportedly reducing manufacturing costs by more than 15%, lowering energy consumption, and boosting productivity by 2-3x.
