Simulation and process analysis of laser oscillating welding of aluminum alloys

This study investigates the laser oscillating welding process applied to 2 mm-thick 5052 aluminum alloys. The ANSYS Welding software is employed to simulate and calculate the temperature field under various welding parameters, including welding speed, swing frequency, swing mode, and defocusing amount. The simulation results are subsequently validated through experimental testing. Using a high-speed camera to dynamically analyze the plasma morphology and melt pool flow behavior under different oscillating modes, establish a finite element model to simulate the welding process and analyze the influence mechanism of the combination of process parameters on the weld seam forming. The study shows that the circular oscillating suitability is excellent; when the welding speed is 10 mm/s, the heat input is suitable, and there is no weld fusion and no weld penetration; At a laser defocusing amount of −2 mm, it can guarantee the stability of the depth of fusion and avoid the heat input is too large; when the laser frequency is increased to 60–65 Hz, the molten pool stirring effect is enhanced due to the increase in the frequency, which improves the uniformity of weld bead. The optimal parameter combination is determined through process analysis, test verification, and optimization simulation results.