Process data

Material Process Window Table

Starting assumptions for common materials, thickness ranges, shielding gases, and process cautions.

Select byAlloy + thickness

Pick the closest material family before adjusting power, speed, focus, or shielding.

Change firstPower or speed

Keep focus, gas, fit-up, and clamp force stable while reading the first samples.

Release proofSection + log

Do not accept a row without sectioned weld evidence and a recorded process card.

Starting windows by material family

Material / thickness	First setup to trial	Do not judge without
304 / 316 stainless, 0.5-3 mm	Fiber laser, argon or nitrogen shielding, moderate speed, focus near the top surface.	Visual check for heat tint and undercut, then cross-section depth and fusion boundary.
Mild or low-alloy steel, 1-6 mm	Start from heat-input target, then adjust speed for penetration and bead width.	Carbon equivalent, restraint, root condition, and hardness/crack-risk screen where needed.
6061 aluminum, 0.8-4 mm	Clean oxide, set argon or helium-rich shielding, and test higher power density than steel.	Oxide removal time, porosity, penetration consistency, and HAZ softening risk.
Copper or nickel-plated copper tabs, 0.1-1 mm	Start with tight clamping, clean surfaces, and short high-peak-energy trials.	Expulsion, nugget size, resistance change, and heat damage to nearby layers.
Titanium Grade 2 / Ti alloys, 0.5-3 mm	Set argon shielding, clean handling, and backside or trailing coverage where needed.	Discoloration, shield coverage, backside oxidation, and brittle contamination risk.
Nickel alloys, 0.5-4 mm	Hold shielding and focus constant, then narrow the power-speed pair with small steps.	Hot cracking signal, bead wetting, undercut, and sectioned porosity evidence.

Observed result	Move first	Check before the second change
Incomplete fusion	Increase heat input by lowering speed or raising power in a small step.	Confirm focus height, joint gap, oxide/scale, and clamp contact before changing gas.
Excessive penetration or burn-through	Lower power or raise speed; keep focus and gas unchanged for the next sample.	Check local thickness, edge fit-up, and fixture heat sinking at the failed location.
Porosity	Clean the interface and verify shielding before changing power.	Record gas flow, nozzle distance, surface-prep method, and time from cleaning to welding.
Undercut	Reduce speed or soften power density with a small focus adjustment.	Inspect edge gap, beam alignment, and toe shape under magnification if available.
Spatter or expulsion	Lower peak power or reduce energy concentration; keep clamp force consistent.	Check contamination, plating condition, and whether absorption changes after the first pulse.
Distortion	Reduce total heat input, shorten dwell, or add controlled heat sinking.	Record fixture temperature, weld sequence, and part movement after cooling.

Field	Record	Why it matters
Material state	Alloy, temper, coating/plating, thickness, batch, and surface-prep method.	Material condition often explains why one starting row does not repeat on another lot.
Optics and focus	Spot size, focus position, focal length, beam angle, and working distance.	Power and speed are not comparable if the delivered power density changes.
Shielding	Gas type, purity, flow, nozzle distance, angle, and backside/trailing coverage.	Porosity, oxidation, and discoloration are frequently shielding-sensitive.
Fixture	Clamp force, contact area, backing/chill block, and part support points.	Heat sinking and joint gap can shift penetration more than a small power change.
Inspection result	Photos, cross-section dimensions, rejected settings, and accepted range.	A usable window needs both the passing center and the failing edges.

Confirm final requirements against the current standard text, workplace procedure, and project specification before releasing production settings.