Nowadays, battery-electric drives and energy storage are elected to be the future technologies. In manufacturing of parts for electric applications laser beam welding is an appropriate and favorable welding method. The characteristics of high welding speed, local heat input and the contact free process allow efficient and automatable processes. For electrodes mainly copper and aluminum are used. Many foils with thicknesses in the area of 10 µm have to be connected to create battery cells. Different than expected, aluminum is the more challenging material. Pore formation is extended also due to air between the foils. The connecting cross section is thereby reduced. Furthermore, there is detachment in the fusion area and a high weld seam undercut. So as well as insufficient clamping a lack of material reduces the strength and therefore the applicability.

In the presented research, clamping conditions and the use of aluminum filler wire (AA 1050A) are investigated for the application of welding 40 aluminum foils (AA 1050A) with a thickness of 15 µm to an aluminum sheet with a thickness of 2 mm using infrared laser beam wavelength. The aims of the process development are welds with high connection widths and high quality as well as reproducibility to provide the best mechanical properties and the best electric conductivity.