Patent ID: 8373083

Claim:
A method for connecting thick-walled metal workpieces of a wall thickness of >8 mm, comprising the steps of: providing a weld joint in an area of confronting cross sections of workpieces to be joined, wherein the weld joint has a maximum of three weld regions; preparing a first one of the weld regions, representing a root of the weld joint, in the area of the confronting cross sections with a seam in the form of an I joint with a maximum gap of 3 mm; preparing a second one of the weld regions in the area of the confronting cross sections with a seam in the form of V or tulip-shaped configuration; welding the first one of the weld regions by laser beam welding or hybrid laser arc welding; welding the second one of the weld regions of the weld joint by arc welding only; and welding a third one of the weld regions by hybrid laser arc welding, wherein the third weld region has a V shaped configuration and is defined by an angle which is smaller than an angle of the V shaped seam of the second weld region, and wherein application of the hybrid laser arc welding involves a power proportion of the laser of at least 10% of a momentary welding power.