Patent ID: 7479616

Claim:
A method for forming a weld in an assembly comprising the edge of a first sheet metal flange folded over the edge of a second sheet metal flange, the edge of said second sheet metal flange being enclosed within the folded-over edge portion of said first flange and unfolded sheet portion of said first flange, said method comprising: combining the beam of a first laser material at a first laser power level with the beam of a second and different laser material at a second laser power level into a compound beam; directing said compound beam at the surface of the folded-over edge portion of said first flange; moving said compound beam along said surface in a linear weld path; and varying at least one of said first laser power level and said second laser power level during said movement of said compound beam so as to produce variation in the width and depth of weld nugget material produced along said weld path.