Spectroscopic monitoring of penetration depth in CO2 Nd:YAG and fiber laser welding processes

A method for on-line monitoring of the joint penetration depth is reported, based on the spectroscopic analysis of the optical emission collected from laser–metal interaction zone. This technique has been applied to quite diverse welding procedures (c.w. CO2 laser, cw fiber laser and pulsed Nd:YAG laser) of stainless steel plates. Although the acquired spectra reveal different characteristics according to the employed laser source, a discrete contribution of several iron lines can be highlighted in both types of investigated welding processes. Starting from the measurement of the intensities of those lines it is possible to calculate the plasma electron temperature, which was found to decrease as far as the laser power is enhanced together with the penetration depth, in static as well as dynamic conditions. Such a behavior does not correspond to a real decrease of the plasma plume temperature but has to be ascribed to the position of the optical collimator collecting light only from the top of the keyhole. Indeed, for deeper penetrations the hottest core of the plume moves down into the vaporized capillary so that the plasma temperature measured on top of the keyhole appears lower at higher incident powers. The electron temperature signal could be useful for the development of a feedback loop system of the laser power to control the weld penetration depth.