Hybrid laser-arc welding method for welding zinc coated steel

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EP 1 454 701 A8

(12)	CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(48)	Corrigendum issued on:
	27.04.2005 Bulletin 2005/17

(43)	Date of publication:
	08.09.2004 Bulletin 2004/37

(21)	Application number: 04100837.6

(22)	Date of filing: 02.03.2004

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B23K 26/14, B23K 26/24, B23K 26/32, B23K 28/02

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK

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Priority:

03.03.2003 US 376624

(71)	Applicant: DANA CORPORATION
	Toledo, OH 43615 (US)

(72)	Inventor:
	Musselman, Gary H. Lancaster, PA Pennsylvania 19501 (US)

(74)	Representative: Jorio, Paolo, Dr. Ing. et al
	Studio Torta S.r.l., Via Viotti, 9 10121 Torino 10121 Torino (IT)

(54)	Hybrid laser-arc welding method for welding zinc coated steel

(57) A method of welding at least two metal sheets protected by a zinc coating that has a low vaporizing temperature. The metal sheets are placed on top of each other and a head of a welding machine is passed over the sheets. The head of the welding machine is configured such that a laser is positioned in front of a GMAW welding or MIG brazing device. The laser cuts a channel into the metal sheets in order to allow the protective zinc coating to vaporize and escape. The GMAW welder or MIG brazing device then follows the laser and deposits a material that fills the channel to weld the two pieces together.