At the end of 2024, Peak Kong Special Steel reached a strategic cooperation with Dr. Ning Keyang from the Zhong Guohui team of the National Steel Structure Engineering Technology Research Center of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to jointly carry out technical research and engineering practice on laser composite welding of hollow profile structural parts. This cooperation aims to overcome the welding problems in high-performance steel structure manufacturing and promote the widespread application of laser hybrid welding technology in the field of high-strength, lightweight steel structures.

Laser hybrid welding technology is a technology that has attracted much attention in the field of advanced manufacturing in recent years. It solves the problems in the welding process of high-strength steel by combining the high precision and high efficiency of laser welding with the strong deformation resistance of traditional arc welding. Common technical problems include insufficient penetration, cracks in the heat-affected zone, and welding deformation. As an important component of lightweight steel structures, hollow profiles have a decisive impact on the safety, durability and economy of the overall structure. However, the welding process of high-strength hollow profiles presents huge challenges due to material thickness, complex cross-sectional shape, and uneven internal stress distribution.

This cooperation focuses on the development of laser hybrid welding technology for high-strength hollow profiles. The goal is to achieve comprehensive improvements in welding efficiency and structural performance while ensuring welding quality.

Zhong Guohui’s team has profound experience in welding technology research and advanced experimental equipment. Peak Kong Special Steel has its own 20,000-watt laser welding machine, which leads the industry in the field of high-performance steel production and structural design. The cooperation between the two parties is based on the following core directions:

Welding process development and optimization The cooperative team jointly developed a variety of laser hybrid welding parameter plans, including laser power, arc current, welding speed and protective gas flow rate. After multiple rounds of experimental verification, we have successfully developed a hollow profile welding process suitable for different thicknesses and cross-sectional shapes, and achieved remarkable results in welding efficiency, penetration uniformity and microstructure control of the heat-affected zone.

Multiphysics coupled simulation The collaborative team used multi-physics simulation tools to accurately model and analyze the heat distribution, stress field and dynamic behavior of the metal molten pool during the welding process, providing a theoretical basis for process parameter optimization. At the same time, this method effectively reduces the dependence on actual material consumption during process development and reduces experimental costs.

Welding quality inspection and certification By introducing non-destructive testing technologies (such as ultrasonic testing, X-ray testing, etc.), both parties conduct a comprehensive assessment of internal defects and surface forming quality of the weld to ensure the stability and reliability of the welding process. This welding process has passed the preliminary certification of the Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS), further demonstrating the international leading level of welding quality.

Through the laser hybrid welding process developed through this cooperation, Peak Kong Special Steel has successfully produced multiple batches of high-strength hollow profile samples, which are widely used in high-rise buildings, long-span bridges, marine engineering equipment, energy infrastructure and other fields. These structural members not only have excellent mechanical properties, but also significantly reduce the weight of the structure, significantly reducing construction costs and carbon emissions.

Dr. Ning Keyang said: “This cooperation marks an important breakthrough in laser hybrid welding technology in the field of steel structure manufacturing. In the future, we will continue to deepen our cooperation with Peak Kong Special Steel to promote the transformation of technological innovation results and contribute to green buildings and sustainable development.” Develop and provide better quality steel structure solutions.”

Peak Kong Special Steel will take this cooperation as an opportunity to continue to promote technological innovation, strengthen industry-university-research cooperation with universities and scientific research institutions, and further enhance the company’s core competitiveness and industry influence. In the future, the company plans to expand laser hybrid welding technology to more high-performance steel categories and explore more customized, high value-added steel application scenarios.
This cooperation not only provides valuable experience for the engineering application of laser hybrid welding technology, but also sets a new benchmark for technological progress in the high-performance steel industry.