Laser welding aluminum

Laser welding of aluminum – precise, clean, and low distortion

LaserJob is your specialist for laser welding aluminum when it comes to precise microjoints, low heat input, and high strength. With state-of-the-art laser technology and decades of experience, we produce reliable weld seams—even for thin-walled components, complex geometries, and tight tolerances.

Thanks to our processes, we produce clean, stable joints with minimal distortion – ideal for applications in electronics, lightweight construction, automotive engineering, and more. We provide solution-oriented support from one-off to series production.

LaserJob – Your partner for precise aluminum laser welding.

Our areas of expertise include:

Adjusting to different part thicknesses: Variable welding depths allow the weld seam to be optimally adapted to the respective material thickness. Thin sheets require a shallow welding depth, while thicker components require a greater welding depth to ensure a secure connection.
Optimization of strength and load capacity: The ability to precisely control the weld penetration depth allows the weld seam to be designed to optimally meet mechanical requirements (e.g., breaking force, vibration resistance). Especially in mixed joints such as steel and aluminum, a shallow but wide weld penetration depth can minimize the accumulation of undesirable brittle phases and transmit high forces.
Process reliability and quality: Controlling the welding depth ensures consistently high weld seam quality and reproducibility, which is crucial in industrial manufacturing.

The decision for or against adding material depends on the requirements for the weld seam, the material properties, and the component's tolerances. Without filler material, high-precision, clean, and fast connections are possible, though only with narrow gaps and suitable materials. On the other hand, filler material makes it easier to work with difficult materials, larger gaps, and higher requirements for seam quality.

We will gladly assist you in selecting the right weld for your project. If you have any specific questions, the simplest way to get answers is to give us a quick call.

Reduced distortion and smaller heat-affected zone: Targeted control of the welding depth ensures that only as much energy as necessary is applied. This minimizes thermal distortion and the size of the heat-affected zone, making it particularly advantageous for precise or sensitive components.

Using precision welding with the smallest possible heat-affected zone also produces very fine and visually clean weld seams. No subsequent processing required.

We create products with precision, whether it's a single piece or a series, perfectly suited for prototypes and custom-made solutions.

Our technologies

LaserJob relies on the latest technologies and innovative processes to ensure maximum precision and efficiency in laser welding of aluminum. Our approach combines technical excellence with customized solutions for your needs.

Our production

Our manufacturing conditions – precision and perfection

Climate-controlled production environment: Consistent temperatures ensure maximum precision and process reliability.
In-house designed production machines: Our production machines were designed in-house to enhance the capabilities of conventional standard machines. When combined with proven laser technology from renowned manufacturers such as Trumpf and Alphalaser, we achieve powerful systems with unique production capabilities.
Versatile machines: 20 production machines enable both optimal production variants for each project and a wide range of services (laser cutting, laser welding, laser engraving, but also micro-bending and small-scale machining processes such as turning, milling, or countersinking).
In-house design and data preparation: Project-oriented and personal support from in-house experts.
Extensive material warehouse: Fast response times and high flexibility thanks to on-site warehousing and short links to renowned suppliers.
Redundant manufacturing systems: Consistent and timely delivery capacity through the use of multiple machines operating simultaneously.

With state-of-the-art technology and strict quality standards, we create solutions that meet the highest requirements—both now and in the future.

Material: Aluminum

We get the best results with:

AlMg3 / EN-AW-5754

Excellent weldability, offering a good combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and workability. Often chosen for applications requiring welding, bending, and a high-quality surface finish. Additionally, it is easily anodized.

AlMgSi1/ EN-AW-6082

The EN-AW-6082 alloy is very popular for laser welding due to its good weldability, strength, and corrosion resistance. It offers a good balance between mechanical properties and machinability.

Further information can also be found here: “Which types of aluminum are best suited for laser welding?”

Why choose LaserJob?

adept knowledge

To ensure reliable processes, LaserJobs support begins at the planning stage. With our professionals, the results are consistently quality: individual, precise, and of the highest standard.

sturdy and leak-proof

To meet the highest standards, our micro-welds are permanently durable and can be reliably tested for leaks based on your requirements.

no matter the quantity

Whether it's a single item or a series, we manufacture precisely for you from the very first piece—perfect for prototypes and tailor-made products.

quick delivery

Benefit from our fast delivery times—thanks to our flexible service, even urgent projects always stay on schedule.

Your ideas, our expertise

Let's get your project started!

The fastest way to reach our order colleagues is by email at mail@laserjob.de or by calling us directly during our business hours.

This enables us to process your request efficiently and promptly. Find your personal contact person here.

Please note that the parts to be worked on have to be clean and free of oil and grease. An adjustment or test sample would also be beneficial.

When it comes to material processing, it is almost impossible to give general delivery time estimates. Requirements and projects vary too greatly. Please contact us directly to discuss how quickly we can deliver to you.

Best-suited alloys

The following alloy groups have proven to be particularly suitable for laser welding of aluminum:

5000-series (AlMg): Excellent laser weldability is a key feature of these aluminum-magnesium alloys. They are characterized by good strength, high corrosion resistance, and low susceptibility to cracking.
6000-series (AlMgSi): Aluminum-magnesium-silicon alloys such as 6061, 6063, and 6082 are widely used due to their versatility and good welding properties, especially in the automotive and construction sectors. Alloy EN AW 6082, for example, can be laser-welded almost flawlessly with optimized parameters, completely avoiding a porous weld seam.

Other well-suited alloys

4000-series (AlSi): High-silicon aluminum alloys from the 4000 series are also well suited, as the silicon reduces crack formation.
1000- und 3000-series: Pure aluminum (1000-series) and aluminum-manganese alloys (3000-series) are generally easy to weld, although they are rarely used for load-bearing structures.

Partially suitable

7000er Serie (AlZnMg): Copper-free representatives of this group are the only ones suitable for laser welding. Classic 7075 alloys, containing zinc as the main alloying element, are considered problematic to weld and pose difficulties in laser welding.

Here's a summary of the main alloys:

Alloy series	Common alloys	Eligibility for laser welding	Comments
5000 (AlMg)	5052, 5083	Excellent	Excellent weldability, minimal cracking risk
6000 (AlMgSi)	6061, 6063, 6082	Excellent	Versatile, automotive and construction industries
4000 (AlSi)	4043, 4047	Good	Silicon reduces cracking
1000 (rein)	1100	Good	Soft, corrosion-resistant, low load-bearing capacity
3000 (AlMn)	3003	Good	Tougher than 1000-series, for storage containers/cookware
7000 (AlZnMg)	7075	Poor	Only copper-free types, otherwise high risk of cracking

Important information for laser welding of aluminum

Porosität und cracking: High-silicon alloys (4000-series) and the 5000/6000-series are less susceptible to pores and heat cracks than other aluminum alloys.
Purity and preparation: Purity of the components and the production environment is crucial, as contamination can significantly impair the welding quality.
Extra material: When laser welding with a filler material, it should be as similar as possible to the base alloy to ensure both compatibility and weld seam quality.

We manufacture for you from a batch size of 1 – ranging from prototypes and individual items to full series production.
For maximum flexibility, we deliver your products reliably and independently of the batch size.

Please note: When material is provided, we also need additional material to determine optimal cutting parameters.

Wherever possible, the documents and drawings provided should contain the following information:

Weld drawing with details of the weld position
Technical drawing with the exact dimensions of the component
Information regarding the material

Ideally, you provide us with the data in step, DXF, or DWG format.

Please note that the parts to be worked on have to be clean and free of oil and grease. An adjustment or test sample would also be beneficial.

We encourage you to provide additional materials if available, so we can establish the optimal welding parameters.

Should you have any questions regarding the design or require further information, please don't hesitate to contact your personal representative directly.

Unsere präzise Schneidtechnologie ermöglicht es, Bauteile standardmäßig gratarm oder gratfrei zu liefern. Für spezielle Anforderungen stehen folgende Nachbearbeitungsverfahren zur Verfügung:

Gleitschleifen (Trovalisieren)
Dieses Verfahren eignet sich für Teile ab einer Materialstärke von 0,5 mm und einer maximalen Größe von 50 x 50 mm. In Trommeln mit einem Fassungsvermögen von 5 oder 10 Litern werden die Werkstücke durch Reibung mit Schleifkörpern bearbeitet, was Kanten abrundet und die Oberflächenqualität verbessert.

Through our extended workbench, we can offer you a wide range of surface treatments, such as:

Technical surface treatments

Electroplating
Passivation
Browning
Gilding
Sandblasting
Electropolish
Anodic treatment

Machining

Lathing
Milling
Part lowering
Bending
Grinding
Grating and other

Any further questions? Feel free to contact us directly— Your personal contact is looking forward to your call:

Online Anfrage

Robert MassenhauserSales Laser material processing

+49 (0) 8141 52778 - 25 r.massenhauser@laserjob.de

Should you have any questions, we would be happy to assist you.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Laser welding is a modern welding process which utilises a highly focused laser beam as an energy source to fuse materials – usually metals or plastics – together with pinpoint accuracy. It is one of the joining manufacturing processes and is primarily used where high precision, narrow weld seams, and minimal thermal distortion are required.

How does laser welding work?

A laser generates a very intense, concentrated beam of light that is focused onto a tiny focal spot (typically 0.2–2.0 mm in diameter) on the component's surface using optics.
The high energy density at the focal point causes the material at this point to melt or even vaporize within fractions of a second.
Moving the laser beam along the desired seam line creates a melting zone which, after solidifying, forms the weld seam.
A protective gas, such as high-purity argon, is usually supplied to protect the seam from oxidation.
This process can usually be carried out without filler materials, but it is also possible to use filler materials, for example, in laser surface cladding.
High cooling speed ensures a sturdy weld seam.

Advantages of laser welding

Highly precise, narrow, and smooth weld seams
Low heat application and minimal distortion of the workpiece, particularly important for thin-walled or sensitive components
High welding speed and increased productivity
Capable of handling hard-to-reach areas and complex geometries
Wide range of applications: from the automotive industry to medical technology and aerospace

Typical uses

Automotive and mechanical engineering
Precision engineering, electronics, sensors
Medical and dental technology
Jewelry industry
Repair welding and cast component repair
Repair welding of vintage car parts (Cylinder head, engine block)

Laser welding methods

Penetration welding: Particularly high intensity, forms a steam channel (“keyhole”) for deep and narrow seams
Heat conduction welding: Flat welding, for aesthetically pleasing but less load-bearing connections
Spot welding: For small, selective connections, often in micro welding
Seam welding: For continuous, long weld seams
Laser cladding: Applying filler material, such as wire or powder, for repair or coating purposes

Laser welding uses the energy of a focused laser beam to fuse materials precisely, quickly, and with minimal heat input. It is particularly well suited for applications where high quality, speed, and low distortion are required, and is used in many high-tech industries.

Adding filler material

in laser welding has a significant impact on process stability:

Filling gaps and tolerances: Material addition enables the bridging of larger gaps or manufacturing tolerances between workpieces. Without filler material, any such gaps can lead to unstable weld pools and uneven welds, which impair process stability.
Improving seam quality: Filler materials can be used specifically to reduce the development of welding defects such as pores, cracks, or spatter. This increases the reproducibility and reliability of the process.
Stabilization of the weld pool: The additional material has a positive effect on the melt pool by improving heat distribution and the flow behavior of the melt. This reduces the risk of instabilities such as melt ejection or uncontrolled melt flow.
Expanding process limits: Particularly with demanding materials such as copper, which are difficult to weld due to their high thermal conductivity and reflectivity, material addition can help achieve stable and deep weld seams, thereby extending the process limits (e.g., maximum weld depth).
Reducing seam defects: Selecting the right filler material can help prevent metallurgical problems, such as hot cracks in aluminum alloys, and make the process more stable.

In summary, adding material enhances laser welding's robustness against deviations in workpieces, materials, and process parameters, thereby boosting process stability and reproducibility, especially in challenging applications or those with high-quality standards.

The narrow heat-affected zone

in laser welding reduces material distortion through the following mechanisms:

Lower heat diffusion

The laser beam focuses the energy onto an ultrasmall focal spot (typically 0.1–0.5 mm in diameter), which limits the heat to a localized area. In comparison, conventional welding (e.g., MIG/MAG) produces a HAZ with a width of 2–10 mm.
Limited heat input minimizes thermal stresses caused by irregular expansion and contraction of the material.

Rapid cooling

Due to the laser's high energy density, the material melts briefly, leading to rapid cooling of the melt zone.
This short heat dwell time prevents the thermal effects from spreading far into the surrounding material.

Targeted control of heat input

Parameters such as laser power, focus, and welding speed can be precisely adjusted to control the HAZ in a targeted manner.
Example: Increasing the travel speed reduces the heat exposure time and further reduces the HAZ.

Vergleich zu konventionellen Verfahren

Parameter	Laser welding	MIG/MAG-welding
Width of the heat-affected zone	0,1–0,5 mm	2–10 mm
Thermal distortion	Almost immeasurable	Clearly visible

Use cases

When using thin sheets (0.1 mm or less), dimensional accuracy is maintained as deformations such as warping or shrinkage are avoided.
Even with heat-sensitive materials such as aluminum or copper, there are no coarse structural changes in the HAZ that could lead to brittle fractures.

In summary, the narrow HAZ ensures minimal material distortion thanks to limited heat spread, rapid cooling, and precise control—a decisive advantage for precise manufacturing processes.

Explore more LaserJob services

Laser-cut spring plates – octagonal, precise, and flexible, set up for demonstration purposes. The image shows two octagonal spring plates that were manufactured with high precision using laser processing and are now placed upright next to a metal ruler with a millimeter scale. The components have concentric, circular incisions and a central square hole. The upright position showcases not only the delicate geometry but also the flexibility and dimensional stability of laser-manufactured thin sheet metal parts.

Laser cutting

Fine structures, powerful results:

We manufacture precise components from sheet metal and foil starting at 10 µm— practically burr-free, material-friendly, and meeting the highest technical requirements.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ein runder schwarzer Schalterring, laserbeschriftet in sehr sauberem Farbabtrag in Weiß mit den Worten "Sport, Pfeilsymbolen und Green"

Laser marking

Permanent and detailed markings:

LaserJob offers laser marking on metals, technical plastics, glass, and wood—razor sharp, durable, and abrasion-resistant, even for complex geometries.

Stainless steel belts

Precision by the meter—stainless steel strips that set standards

We manufacture stainless steel belts precisely made to measure – with a deviation of only 7 µm over a length of 2000 mm. Ideal for encoder, transport, and conveyor belts in industry and technology.

Repair welding and laser surface cladding

Repair instead of replacing:

Our experts repair and optimize tools and components through build-up welding, ensuring durability, precision, and material-friendly characteristics efficiently and affordably.