A review of beam shaping approaches for near-infrared continuous-wave laser welding in e-mobility applications

Laser beam welding is becoming increasingly crucial for high-volume production of e-mobility components supported by advancements in beam shaping technology. This paper examines current beam shaping solutions and related applications in key areas of e-mobility, focusing on high-power, continuous-wave lasers operating in the near-infrared range. It details recent technological developments and implementations, alongside fundamental discussions on laser-to-material interactions, with a material-focused approach. The discussion demonstrates the benefits and current limitations of beam shaping, showing its impact on improving weld profiles, keyhole stability, porosity reduction, crack mitigation and microstructural evolution (grain morphology, intermetallic compounds). This includes applications in similar and dissimilar metal welding of aluminium alloys, steels and copper alloys. The concluding remarks identify current open challenges and opportunities for future research and development in the growing area of beam shaping, aided by digital technologies and advanced multi-fidelity simulations.