Droplet Transfer and Forming Characteristics of Laser-MIG Hybrid Welding of Aluminum Alloy at Different Positions

XU Haiwei; ZHA Peijun; CAO Zhinan; ZHU Zongtao; CHEN Hui

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.004

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Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (8) : 35-43. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.004

Light Alloy Forming

Droplet Transfer and Forming Characteristics of Laser-MIG Hybrid Welding of Aluminum Alloy at Different Positions

XU Haiwei¹, ZHA Peijun¹, CAO Zhinan², ZHU Zongtao^1,*, CHEN Hui¹

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Abstract

The work aims to investigate the influence of welding position on droplet transfer behavior and weld formation in laser-MIG hybrid welding of aluminum alloy, so as to provide a basis for the optimization of laser-MIG hybrid welding processes at different positions of aluminum alloy. The A7N01 aluminum alloy was welded by laser-MIG hybrid welding. High-speed camera assembly was used to observe the droplet transfer and arc morphology at different positions (0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°), and to analyze their influence on the weld formation. It revealed that under identical parameters, 0° and 270° positions exhibited “one-pulse-one-droplet” transfer while 90° showed “one-pulse-multiple-droplets” and 180° demonstrated short-circuit transfer, with results indicating that MIG torch inclination significantly affected arc morphology by causing deflection toward the longer arc length side while laser introduction had minimal impact, and that welding position substantially influenced weld quality as evidenced by poor formation with porosity and cracks at 90° versus significantly increased depth-to-width ratio at 270°. In conclusion, during laser-MIG hybrid welding of aluminum alloy, welding position critically affects droplet transfer and weld quality by modifying force distribution on molten droplets, while torch inclination dominates arc deflection through its effect on electromagnetic force direction.

Key words

aluminium alloy / laser-MIG hybrid welding / droplet transfer / arc morphology / weld formation

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XU Haiwei, ZHA Peijun, CAO Zhinan, ZHU Zongtao, CHEN Hui. Droplet Transfer and Forming Characteristics of Laser-MIG Hybrid Welding of Aluminum Alloy at Different Positions[J]. Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering. 2025, 17(8): 35-43 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.08.004

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