Patent ID: 6906281

Claim:
A method for performing a laser beam welding operation to molecularly bond two pieces of metal together including the steps of: providing at least a first metal material and a second metal material in an overlapping relationship; providing a head that further comprises a laser device and at least one of a GMAW welding and MIG brazing device in a spaced apart relationship; moving said head relative to said first metal material and said second metal material; cutting completely through said first metal material and at least partially into said second metal material by using said laser device to form a channel in said first and second metal materials through which vaporized gases produced during the step of cutting escape into an external environment; and filling said channel with one of a welding material and a brazing material by using said at least one of a GMAW welding and MIG brazing device to weld said first metal material and said second metal material together, wherein said step of filling said channel is delayed from said step of cutting due to said spaced apart relationship of said laser device and said at least one of a GMAW welding and MIG brazing device so as to allow the vaporized eases produced during the step of cutting to escape through said channel into said external environment.