Evaluation of PMMA joining to stainless steel 304 using pulsed Nd:YAG laser

Abstract

This paper reports an experimental study of welding of dissimilar materials between transparent Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and stainless steel 304 sheets using a pulsed mode Nd:YAG laser. The process was carried out for two cases; laser transmission joining (LTJ) and conduction joining (CJ). The former is achieved when the joint is irradiated from the polymer side and the latter when the joint is irradiated from the opposite side (metal side). The light and process parameters represented by the peak power (Pp), pulse duration (τ), pulse repetition rate (PRR), scanning speed (ν) and pulse shape have a significant effect on the joint strength (Fb), joint bead width (b), joint quality and appearance. The optimum parameters were determined according to joint quality, joint strength and bead width. The optimum results for the joint strength and bead width for both LTJ and CJ are 925N, 7.25mm and 495N, 8mm respectively using a rectangular pulse shape (RC). Further modeling studies were carried out based on two methods; one factor at a time method (OFM) and surface response methodology (RSM) method. RSM was used to determine optimum parameters for the experimental data building mathematical models for correlating parameters and responses (Fb and b) as well as to investigate how different parameters interact with each other and their effect on the weld quality.