Advancing Laser Welding: Fuel Cell Production Speeds Boosted

Fuel cells, known for their emission-free energy production, rely heavily on precision in creating their bipolar plates. These plates are crucial for channeling energy, but their production has long been limited by welding speed due to a pesky defect called “humping.”

A research team at Penn State has tackled this challenge head-on. By combining high-speed X-ray imaging and analytical modeling, they identified the root causes of humping and devised a method to mitigate it. Their breakthrough allows welding speeds to increase from 20 meters per minute to an impressive 75 meters per minute without surface irregularities. This jump in efficiency means production could now reach up to 80,000 fuel cells annually, a critical step for the automotive sector.

Unveiling mechanisms and onset threshold of humping in high-speed laser welding - Nature Communications

Humping defects in high-speed laser welding of stainless steel are investigated here using in situ synchrotron X-ray imaging and fluid dynamics simulations. High welding speeds cause a short keyhole rear wall, high backward melt velocity, and long molten pool tail, leading to humping.

NatureZen-Hao Lai

The solution involved stabilizing molten metal pools, a key contributor to humping at high speeds. Using shielding gases and adjusting the laser beam’s shape, the researchers fine-tuned welding parameters to create smooth seams even under rapid conditions. This demonstrates how fundamental research can resolve real-world manufacturing bottlenecks.

This progress doesn’t just boost production—it challenges traditional perceptions of industrial engineering. It showcases how blending hands-on techniques with cutting-edge research can create impactful solutions for clean energy technologies.

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Getting over the hump to improve fuel cell manufacturing | Penn State University

The production of fuel cells requires the use of a rapid laser welding process; however, welding at too high a speed results in humping, marked by surface irregularities on the weld seam. A team led by researchers at Penn State has combined observation and analytical modeling to identify the conditions that produce humping at high laser welding speeds and to adjust the process parameters to increase weld speed without causing surface irregularities.

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