NON-DESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION OF LASER BEAM WELDED AND BRAZED JOINTS

Develop a robust non-destructive evaluation method for inspection of laser beam welded and laser beam brazed joints, in order to greatly reduce the costs associated with the existing destructive inspection methods.

Laser beam welding and brazing are utilized at Ford on both steel and aluminium bodies, and poised for increased use. Weld quality is currently determined by destructive means, which are expensive,
slow and labour intensive. Non-destructive evaluation of these joints can prove much more cost effective, by greatly reducing teardown. As one example, annual scrap savings of $100Ks would be achieved at each body shop.