With an Eye on Precision: How hago Brings Aluminum for Electromobility into Series Production
Pressure-Tight Laser Welding in Aluminum—Now Scalable
Can aluminum be welded pressure-tight in large-scale production? For Feinwerktechnik hago, the answer is yes—thanks to cutting-edge laser welding technology developed by a world-leading technology provider, originally designed for gas-tight stainless steel applications and now adapted for aluminum.
A Demanding Challenge for Electromobility
Joseph Gampp, Head of Product Management at Feinwerktechnik hago, is used to tough assignments. “Finding a solution to every customer requirement—no matter how complex—is part of our DNA,” he explains. But when tasked with developing a 900×200 mm aluminum cooling plate for an automotive customer’s battery management controller (BMC), even his team had doubts.
The component, essential for protecting thermal electronics in electric vehicles, needed to withstand extreme pressure conditions. A seamless, three-meter circumferential weld seam—tight, durable, and consistent—was required. Aluminum’s known difficulties in laser welding made the task seem nearly impossible.
Cracks Under Pressure
While hago had years of experience in laser processing and access to various laser systems, early attempts fell short. Although tight seams were achievable in some cases, cracks appeared during pressure pulsation testing—a key requirement for component approval, as the part had to endure over 100,000 pressure cycles.
Stainless Steel Success Sparked a New Idea
Having already seen success with media- and gas-tight laser welding of stainless steel, Gampp reached out to their trusted technology provider. While aluminum presented a different challenge due to its high reflectivity and susceptibility to cracking, early lab results were promising. It became a shared ambition between hago and the technology experts to scale this for mass production.
A Breakthrough in Laser Welding
The game-changing technology combined two innovations:
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BrightLine Weld: A well-established laser welding process enabling pore-free, gas-tight seams.
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Multifocus Optics: Advanced optics that split the laser beam into a core and ring, creating four focus spots that form a stable, vapor-filled “keyhole” in the material. This open keyhole supports fast, clean, and uniform welds—even in aluminum.
Together, these technologies allowed for the first-ever series production of pressure-tight aluminum weld seams—a major breakthrough for lightweight automotive manufacturing.
From Concept to Pre-Series Production
After extensive testing, hago invested in a high-performance laser system equipped with BrightLine Weld and Multifocus optics. Over 3,000 cooling plates have already been produced in pre-series, each with flatness under 1 millimeter—a critical factor for thermal efficiency in battery electronics.
The system’s distortion-free welding ensures that the aluminum plate lies perfectly flat against the power electronics, allowing optimal heat transfer. “That level of flatness and consistency was only possible through this laser process,” says Gampp.
Over 600,000 Parts Planned by 2030
Feinwerktechnik hago plans to manufacture over 610,000 cooling units within the next six years using this advanced laser system. The development process included close collaboration with the customer and months of optimization, but the technological foundation was crucial.
Mission Accomplished: Pressure-Tight Welds at Scale
“We created the essential foundation for this success together with our technology partner—the ability to weld aluminum pressure-tight using a laser, at scale,” Gampp states proudly. The company once again proved its reputation: turning complex challenges into production-ready solutions.
