Study on Application of Laser-Arc Hybrid Welding to Hull Construction Stage of General Merchant Ships

Abstract

The application of advanced welding technologies is important for improving the efficiency of hull construction processes and reducing production costs. Laser-arc hybrid welding (LAHW) technology, which combines the advantages of laser and normal arc welding, is of high quality and is expected to improve productivity. However, there are some challenges in applying LAHW to the hull construction stage of general merchant ships, because the thickness of the main structural members is thicker than that of passenger ships and high-speed ships.

The present study focused on investigating the following key aspects for involving LAHW in construction stage of commercial vessels, and useful knowledge was obtained. (1) Suitable welding conditions to fabricate the full-penetration tee joint by one-side single-pass welding, (2) Influence of the weld groove cutting process method, (3) Influence of retained primer and oxide film on joint quality, (4) Confirmation in the production by prototyping with long welding length, and (5) Improvement of welding quality by applying the rare earth metal bearing weld wire.