| abstract |
A method for laser welding a pair of overlapping metal members together and a weld joint produced by the method. At least one of the metal members has a protective metal coating (22, 32). The method includes applying a thin layer of an alloying agent (40) on at least one of the metal members between the metal members, melting the protective metal coating and the alloying agent to form an alloy that is disposed between the overlapping members, welding the overlapping metal members together to form a weld, and controlling the amount of the alloying agent such that the extended solid solubility of the alloying agent in the weld is not exceeded. |