Laser Processes for Clean Transportation

Electromobility (E-Mobility) is a concept that is gaining ground, and with good reason: It is a crucial component of any long-term strategy for sustainable, environmentally friendly travel. Progress in this area will not only revolutionize the automotive industry – thanks to the advent of e-bikes, e-scooters, etc. it will also reshape local travel, as well as having a significant impact on the way we conduct our leisure activities.

Energy storage (batteries) and weight are key considerations for all vehicles with electric motors. Lasers offer a solution to both these issues; they allow new production processes to be employed, considerably reducing costs while significantly improving quality. The use of laser technology reduces cycle times and optimizes production processes in a multitude of ways.

In the electric vehicle sector, laser beam welding is the most commonly used process that employs lasers. Its applications include:

• The production of electric motors – for welding the rectangular copper wires (hairpins) in the stator instead of using conventional winding methods
• The production of batteries – for keeping battery packs together by means of tension rods, joining battery packs by means of busbar welding, welding battery trays, etc.
• Welding current-carrying components such as electronic circuits and control units
• Welding processes involving vehicle bodywork (using remote laser beam welding), including both conventional bodywork materials and lightweight materials (fiber composites)