Comparison of Characteristics by Laser-Arc Hybrid Welding Parameter for Manufacturing Aluminum Subframe for Automotive Application

Aluminum exhibits excellent workability and formability due to its crystallographic properties and has outstanding specific strength, making it widely used in various industries. In particular, it is widely applied in the automotive industry, and various welding methods are being used to advance joining technology. Among these methods, hybrid welding, which combines laser and arc welding, has been extensively researched to overcome the limitations of both conventional laser welding and arc welding, resulting in high-quality welds. However, there is a lack of studies comparing the welding characteristics when using wires from conventional Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) in laser-arc hybrid welding, specifically in relation to the wire diameter. This study analyzed the mechanical properties and microstructure based on different wire diameters. The sample with a wire diameter of 1.2 mm exhibited a finer equiaxed grain structure compared to the sample with a diameter of 1.6 mm, and it also showed a lower porosity. As a result, the mechanical strength of the sample with a wire diameter of 1.2 mm was found to be higher.