Experimental and numerical investigation on laser transmission welding of stainless steel 304 L and borosilicate glass

An experimental and numerical study on laser transmission welding (LTW) of borosilicate glass and stainless steel 304 L by a continuous wave fiber laser with a central wavelength of 1075 nm is reported for the objective of achieving hermetic glass-metal seals. Prior to the experimentation, numerical simulations were undertaken on the ANSYS Fluent platform with custom user-defined functions (UDFs) to develop a 3D transient numerical model and predict the temperature distribution and weld geometry. The good agreement observed between the numerically predicted weld geometry and experimental results validates the accuracy of the numerical model. Through systemic experimental design of process parameters such as laser power and laser scanning speed a spectrum of acceptable welding conditions was identified. This allowed for the identification of ideal parameter combinations to attain optimal weld strength and quality. Additionally, the study explored the influence of laser power and laser scanning speed on weld quality, addressing concerns such as weld defects and cracks.