Laser welding services
Our company provides professional CNC laser welding services.Laser welding uses a high-precision laser beam to fuse metals and thermoplastics. The accuracy and precision of the process produces low thermal distortion, making it perfect for welding sensitive materials. The process is most often automated, allowing for high welding rates.
What is Laser Welding?
Laser welding is a versatile fabrication technique that uses a laser beam to weld or join different metals and composites. Laser beam welding is the advanced sheet metal welding process commonly used across industries.The laser beam is usually focused on the workpiece, heating it to a melting point. The welded material fuses with the adjacent material forming a solid joint. This process’s concentrated light energy focuses on very small spot sizes or areas, enabling precise control of the thermal energy and welding process.
How Does Laser Welding Work?
First, the laser beam welding machine focuses a highly concentrated light beam on the cavity between two or more materials to create a firm bond. This light concentration occurs at a small spot and ranges from a few tenths of a millimeter to a few millimeters in diameter.
This high-power laser beam concentration contains a high power density. As a result, it delivers massive energy levels that melt the materials at their closures or seams, making it a joint.
Then, the workpiece’s material gradually absorbs the energy from the focused laser beam, heating the workpiece to its melting point. Next, the melted region fuses to form a firm bond between the weld parts.
However, depending on the desired weld quality and welded material, you can perform laser welding in continuous or pulsed mode. Laser welding in continuous mode is ideal for welding thicker materials, while the pulsed mode suits thinner materials.
Types of Laser Welding Processes
While mig and tig welding are popular methods, there are several laser welding techniques that are useful for different applications. They include the following:
1. Keyhole Welding
Keyhole welding involves using a laser beam that heats the workpiece’s surface to the point of vaporization, infiltrating deeply into the material. This welding process forms a keyhole with a plasma-like feature. This welding technique is suitable with a high-power laser beyond 105W/mm2, and the temperature often rises above 10,000k.
2. Laser Brazing
The laser brazing technique involves concurrently using a laser beam to heat a workpiece with the filler material. This process forms a firm bond between the materials using filler materials like copper or silver. It is suitable for joining two dissimilar metals.
In addition, low-temperature brazing makes the welded material less susceptible to distortion. Industries such as automotive use laser brazing to join steel with aluminum.
3. Hybrid Welding
This welding technique joins laser beam welding with other methods, such as GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) and GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding). This ultimately enhances the welding quality and efficiency of the technique by delivering the combined advantages of both methods.
4. Heat Conduction Welding
This process uses a laser beam that heats the material surface beyond the material’s melting point. It is an ideal welding technique for applications where high weld strength is not a primary requirement. The heat conduction welding process uses a low-power laser precisely below 500W. It creates a regular and aesthetically appealing weld.
5. Percussion Welding
Percussion welding involves pulsing the laser beam at a high frequency to melt and fuse the welded materials quickly. This welding method suits materials with varying melting points and thermal properties. In addition, it is perfect for joining dissimilar materials like aluminum and steel.
What Materials can be joined with Laser Welding?
The laser beam welding techniques are versatile and compatible with various materials. Here are some of the typical materials joined with laser welding:
Metals:
Different aluminum alloy grades;
Copper alloys such as bronze and brass;
Steel variants such as high-strength alloys, carbon steel, and stainless steel;
Titanium alloys are commonly used in medical and aerospace applications;
Nickel and its alloys are used in applications including power generation and aerospace.
Plastics:
Laser welding applies to specific plastic types like thermoplastics that can melt and solidify repeatedly.
Acrylic (PMMA): Its common uses include displays, signage, and medical equipment.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC has common uses in medical applications, construction materials, and pipes.
Polycarbonate (PC): It is widely used for automotive components, safety equipment, and electrical enclosures.
Composites:
It joins composites of varying constituents, such as glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) or carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP).
Components of Laser Welding Equipment
Generally, standard laser welding equipment consists of the following essential components.
Advantages of Laser Welding
Laser welding is a versatile technique with several advantages in different applications. Here are some of the benefits of laser beam welding.
FAQ
⭕️Can I cut with a laser welder?
You can use a laser welder to easily cut and weld different sheet materials like aluminum, iron wire, stainless steel, and carbon steel.
⭕️What are the common gases used in laser welding processes?
Nitrogen, helium, and argon are the common shield gases used in laser beam welding operations.
⭕️Is the Laser welding process costly to operate?
Although laser welders are more expensive than traditional welding tools and machines, they are more efficient and user-friendly than traditional machines.
⭕️Our services
MaiSheng offers a wide range of machining services, such as custom CNC milling, sheet metal fabrication, injection molding, and various surface treatments, to meet all your specific needs. With our advanced equipment and experienced technicians, we can deliver high-quality and precise welding solutions for your machined parts. Just contact us to get started with a new project!
