beam welding process is provided in which galvanized steel sheet members having buried zinc coated bonding surface regions are welded in an oxygen enriched region reducing the porosity in the product weld nugget application_number US 66956991 A description in a preferred embodiment this invention is employed for producing high integrity weld joints between two side galvanized sheet steel members 10 and 12 see fig1 members 10 and 12 may be distinct components positioned for a lap joint or the like or distinct sections of a singular component bent or otherwise formed to bring the sections into overlapping proximity for joining for example in the manufacture of a tube members 10 and 12 respectively comprise low carbon steel cores 14 and 16 and have metallic zinc coatings 18 20 22 and 24 on both faces thereof members 10 and 12 each have a thickness of about 0 035 inch whereas galvanized coating layers 18 20 22 and 24 each have a thickness of about 0 005 inch members 10 and 12 are shown in an overlapping juxtaposed position suitable for a lap weld we carried out our welding experiments using a continuous wave carbon dioxide laser apparatus not shown commercially available e g from rofin sinal under the designation model rf 825 having a three kilowatt power rating the laser apparatus was suitably positioned above the assembled workpiece and adapted to be moved over the surface so as to generate a continuous or discontinuous weld track the.