WHAT IS LASER WELDING MACHINE? LASER WELDING TECHNOLOGY AND THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW!

1. Classification of Laser welding machines

There are many types of laser welding machines on the market today and they are classified according to different welding functions. For example, laser spot welding machines, laser welding machines, automatic laser welding machines, fiber optic welding machines, light welding machines, etc. The advantage of using a laser welding machine is that it creates a smooth welding line, ensuring the aesthetics of the product.

Let's start defining  laser welding machines  according to different types:

2. Classification based on laser type

2.1 Pulsed laser

The pulsed laser mechanism is ideal for metals that are lightweight and have low thickness. Therefore, the pulsed laser creates intermittent contact on the metal surface. Keeping it safe from burning or melting. Moreover, this type of laser welding is ideal for welding metal sheets, razor blades, jewelry, and even parts like screws.

2.2 Continuous laser beam

Continuous laser beam is ideal for welding on thick and durable parts. Moreover, this welding technology is also good for refractory surface metals. Although this type of welding is more expensive than pulse welding, it will save you a lot of money and labor in the long run.

3. Classification based on laser source

Currently, there are three main types of laser sources used for laser welding machines, which are Fiber laser, CO2 laser and Nd: YAG laser. Each of these laser sources has its own benefits and is suitable for different types of welding materials.

3.1 Fiber Laser Welding Machine

Fiber laser welding is ideal for working on metal parts. Moreover, it offers high reliability and efficiency. It is estimated that the accuracy of   fiber laser welding is close to 25%.

3.2 CO2 Laser Welding Machine

CO2 laser welding machine can provide large continuous welding beam to create efficient and durable weld. It can easily penetrate metal and non-metallic surface.

3.3 Nd: YAG Laser Welding Machine

Nd:YAG lasers are more energy efficient than fiber laser welders. However, there are certain applications such as greater laser control capabilities that you cannot achieve with other types of laser sources.

In conclusion, you will find that there are many types of laser welding machines, technologies, and sources. You will have to decide which type of laser welding machine will best suit your business. Before discussing the selection of the best  laser welding machine , let us understand the main applications of laser welding machines in the mechanical industry.

4. How does a laser welder work?

4.1 Laser welding technology

Laser welding technology works on the principle of heat generation from the laser source. Different laser sources are suitable for different types of materials and their physical and chemical properties. Therefore, when the high-energy laser beam is focused on a point of the metal sheet, it will create perfect seams on thin metal sheets without deformation at high speed at that location. The depth of the weld is controlled by different welding methods and varies accordingly. This process takes place at the joint of two metals or materials to be welded together. However, there are many laser welding methods depending on the type, thickness and quality of the material being welded.

4.2 Conduction welding mode

Conduction welding is a method that gives you a wide, shallow weld. There are other classifications of this welding method as follows:

4.3 Direct heating method

The direct heating method uses heat conduction from the heat source. This then leads to the melting of the base material and eventually forms a weld with another material.

4.4 Energy transmission method

In comparison, the energy transfer method is slightly different and uses an intermediate material to conduct heat from the source to the weld. Typically, an absorbent ink acts as an intermediate material to transfer the energy. Similarly, butt joints can also be achieved by directing the heat energy into one corner of the joint.

4.5 Conduction/penetration mechanism

This mechanism works on medium energy and creates a deeper hole than the conductive method but shallower than the penetrating method.

4.6 Penetration or keyhole welding mechanism

Another way to weld using lasers is to use the keyhole method. This method focuses the laser beam on the material and creates penetrating heat. Thus, a hole is created in place using this method. This hole is then filled with metal vapor which forms a bond with the other metal. Thus, the resulting weld produces a large depth to width ratio and produces tight welds with high strength.

5. Applications of laser welding machines

Laser welding finds great applications in various types of industries. These industries range from manufacturing to medical to jewelry manufacturing. Here are some of the major applications of laser welding technology.

Robotic welding of parts would never have been possible if it were not for laser welding technology. The laser beam is aligned on the seam of the parts to be welded. These units are then passed through the laser welding using a conveyor belt. The speed at which the process occurs allows for rapid production of welded products. This technology has applications in countless industries. Almost every manufacturing industry that uses metal parts uses this type of welding. Therefore, the application of laser welding is widely found in all types of metal and non-metal manufacturing industries that use welding of parts.

5.1 Jewelry industry

Another important application of laser welding is found in the jewelry industry. When you have to make intricate and delicate jewelry pieces from two different materials to be welded together, the best option for welding them together is laser welding technology.

5.2 Auto engine industry

According to twi-global, nearly 15% of the manufacturing processes in the industry involve laser applications in one way or another. CO2 welding finds a major application in the automotive industry. The major applications of welding are found in the manufacturing of gears, transmission parts, and electric trains. Most of these products also require circular and annular welds. Therefore, circular welds are also well managed by laser welding.

Furthermore, Nd: YAG has high application in welding of body parts and structures of automobiles. Laser welding has achieved great success in the automobile industry mainly due to its speed of operation, precision, efficiency and lower cost in the long run.

5.3 Medical industry

If you started listing out the individual industries that use laser welding you would run out of time but you would not run out of industries that use laser welding. Similarly, the medical industry has a large application of laser welding.

The most common application of laser welding in the medical industry is welding of dissimilar metals. Medical aids are often made up of various electronic components coupled with various semiconductors. The main challenge in the scenario arises when dissimilar metals and materials, having different chemical and physical properties, have to be welded together. But fiber laser welders do the job successfully.

Some metals and hard materials such as stainless steel, 440C or 430, and Titanium alloys are also widely used in the medical industry. These materials must be welded together with a waterproof system to ensure the health of the patient. Other devices such as pacemakers, AEDs, and drug pumps also use laser welding technology.

6. Advantages and disadvantages of laser welding technique

•Laser welding technology has many benefits over conventional welding technologies. Here are some of the advantages you get when using a laser welder.

•Laser welding is easier to integrate with automation and Computer Aided Manufacturing systems. This not only gives you better control over the entire process, but also makes operations more precise and efficient.

•Tools are not affected during welding.

•The laser beam focus is very precise. This results in a high quality and long lasting final weld.

•The speed of the welding process is much higher than that of conventional welding techniques. This makes laser welding technology suitable for mass production.

•Laser welding is applied to products that require high precision, such as in the production of medical products.

•Lower energy input compared to that used in other types of welding techniques.

•No secondary finishing of the product is required after welding. Thus, saving welding time and manpower.

•Non-contact method. This means there are no contact parts and therefore the quality of the final product and the life of the machine will be better.

7. Things to note when laser welding

Although there are not many disadvantages to laser welding. However, there are some things to keep in mind when applying this method on an industrial scale.

It is understandable that laser welding requires a certain skill to complete the job. In case if the task is completed by a person who does not know about laser welding techniques then ultimately the product will be affected.

Some problems that occur due to lack of technique or experience are as follows:

•Technicians working on laser welding systems must have a clear understanding of the work and the type of laser to be used.

•Removing welding slag is a must for technicians. If welding slag remains during the welding process, the weld will not be durable and will fail after a short time. This problem mainly arises in pulsed laser welding method.

•It is necessary to apply laser heat evenly along the metal surface during laser welding. If the laser heat is not evenly distributed along the surface, it can result in uneven welds, which will create reliability issues in the future.

•You must be extremely careful when soldering on optical surfaces as they can be easily damaged.

Moreover, the initial investment for laser welding machine is relatively higher than other welding methods. In addition, the maintenance cost of the machine is also higher if the machine develops problems during operation.

--------------------------------------------------------- -------------------

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST