Increase robustness of copper laser welding with beam-shaping

Busbars, typically made of copper, facilitate electricity flow in vehicles and must be connected to each other or to cells. With the rise of e-mobility, the demand for busbars is increasing. Copper laser welding is challenging due to its high reflectivity of traditional infrared lasers and good thermal conduction, leading to defects like porosities and spattering. By shaping a central point surrounded by a ring, MPLC technology, integrated within commercial laser-heads, has shown promise in optimizing copper welding. This method can increase the process window by a factor of 1.5 and accept larger gaps, with a scrap rate at the same level as other beam-shaping state-of-the art technologies.