Smart laser welding to eliminate filler wire in EV battery housings

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have developed an advanced laser welding technology that eliminates the need for filler wire while producing crack-free, low-porosity, and high-strength joints. This process uses dynamic beam shaping and targeted laser beam oscillation to control the melt pool, reduce pores, and stabilize welds, enabling robust and efficient welding of challenging materials such as aluminum die castings and extruded profiles. The method also reduces energy consumption, material use, and post-processing compared to conventional arc welding. A key application demonstrated is in electric vehicle (EV) battery housings, where the technology successfully welded lightweight aluminum structures combining extrusion profiles and die-cast elements with walls up to five millimeters thick. This approach overcomes typical issues like porosity and hot cracking without filler material, and the resulting housings have been integrated and tested in real vehicles. The technology is also applied in aerospace for welding high-strength 2,000-series aluminum tanks and in heavy