A laser welded blank (LWB – also known as a tailored blank) is a sheet of steel which combines several different grades. Each grade can have different thicknesses and/or coatings. LWBs allow a part to be engineered for optimal performance and lightweighting.

The separate grades are laser welded together to create a single sheet of steel which has the best grade in the best place for strength and deformation. Each sheet can be hot- or cold-stamped to give the part its final shape.

The result is a "tailor-made" solution with significant advantages for the customer. Today, LWBs are commonly used in automotive construction, particularly for the body-in-white and closures of a car.