Inventors:
John C. Pernicka - Fort Collins CO
David K. Benson - Golden CO
C. Edwin Tracy - Golden CO
Assignee:
Midwest Research Institute - Kansas City MO
International Classification:
B23K 2600
B23K 2602
Abstract:
A method of welding an ultra-thin foil to the edge of a thicker sheet to form a vacuum insulation panel comprising the steps of providing an ultra-thin foil having a thickness less than 0. 002, providing a top plate having an edge and a bottom plate having an edge, clamping the foil to the edge of the plate wherein the clamps act as heat sinks to distribute heat through the foil, providing a laser, moving the laser relative to the foil and the plate edges to form overlapping weld beads to weld the foil to the plate edges while simultaneously cutting the foil along the weld line formed by the overlapping beads.