Effects of process parameters on the corrosion rate of pulsed Nd:YAG laser-welded zinc-coated steel

Electrochemical tests of pulsed Nd:YAG laser-welded zinc-coated steel sheet in 1 N NaCl solution have been carried out to characterise the sacrificially protective effect of the zinc coating. The effects of a range of pulsed Nd:YAG laser welding parameters on corrosion are investigated. The study shows that the acceptable weld metals are still protected by the sacrificial effect of the zinc coating for their life-time. The experimental results further reveal that the variations in the pulsed laser processing parameters do not make any significant difference in the electrochemical characterisation.