Frequently asked questions about laser welding
Summary:
As you are already aware, laser welding is an emerging method, bringing a variety of advantages that many users are not aware of. That is why it is normal that doubts arise regarding its operation and characteristics.
Laser welding is constantly evolving, there is no doubt, because of its great capabilities and advantages, there are many who use this type of laser equipment to make their best welds. In other articles we have discussed how to choose your laser welding machine or how laser welding works. On this occasion, we are going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about laser welding. This method offers many advantages unknown to many users, which could significantly benefit the production processes of many companies.
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1º How many models and powers does LC-WELD have?
At LASERCOMERCIAL we have different laser welding models. We differentiate them in three powers: 1000W, 1500W and 2000W. Depending on the work to be carried out, one equipment or another will be more suitable. A 1500W machine will not reach the same welding depth as a 2000W machine. An advantage of laser welding machines is that the penetration and welding depth is much higher than that of other conventional welding equipment. This makes laser welding much more versatile, allowing you to work with a wide range of materials and thicknesses.
It is important to note that this equipment is highly configurable. With this, we can adapt the parameters of each machine to operate in some jobs or others. This means that a 1500W machine would be configurable to work as a 1000W machine would, so the more power the laser welding machine has, the more configuration options I will have and the more versatile my machine can be.
2º What are the differences between filler and non-filler welding?
Laser welding allows many applications to be carried out with or without wire input. It will depend on several factors whether we choose one option or the other. If we want to differentiate between working with or without wire input, we can highlight that with welding with wire input we can improve the quality of the joints by eliminating air and avoiding misaligned spaces in the parts we are working on.
In robust and thick welds, we will obtain resistant and quality welds. We will also avoid cracking or the creation of fissures due to solidification of some welded materials. We will avoid cracking and improve the quality of some welds with an aluminium wire. The aesthetics and the final result of the weld can be improved. And finally, we can avoid cuts in the weld bead and improve the mechanical properties.
What benefits does laser welding provide compared to other welding methods?
The laser welding machines They provide a variety of advantages that improve the performance of companies' production processes. We have previously highlighted the advantages that LC-WELD brings many times, but in this case we will highlight the most important ones:
- Little welding deformation
- Easy to operate and handle
- Elimination of the review process
- Possibility of incorporating it into other industrial processes
- Great depth
- Good welding resistance
- High quality welds
- High accuracy
4º What type of auxiliary gas can I use?
With laser welding equipment we must work with gas to obtain optimum results in the welding joint. We can work with Nitrogen or Argon. The auxiliary gas used will depend on the material we are working with. In most cases, supplying this gas when welding will have a positive effect, as we protect the weld and it will be more resistant.
5º What type of laser is it and what is its lifetime?
Laser welding machines are equipped with a fibre laser, which means that they will have a longer service life than other types of lasers. In principle, the lifetime of this laser can be up to 100.000h, which is more than enough time to amortise the machine and make it very profitable. The lifetime can vary depending on many factors such as the form or frequency of use.
6º Can the machine parameters be adjusted according to the job?
It is necessary to adapt the laser welding machine to the work being carried out. You can adjust the welding speed, power and wire speed, among other parameters. The machine can be configured by means of a user-friendly touch screen.
7º What materials can I laser weld?
An important highlight of our laser welding machines is their versatility. This allows us to use the laser systems to work with a wide variety of materials from different sectors and industries. Some of the materials that we can weld with the use of lasers are: stainless steel, galvanised steel, aluminium, titanium or carbon steel.
8º What thicknesses can be worked with a laser welding machine?
One of the great advantages of laser welding is its weld penetration capability. The maximum thickness of materials to be laser welded is related to the power of the equipment. Some equipment will be able to reach 5mm and others only 3mm. Similarly, the welding technique (conduction welding or penetration welding) will influence the penetration capacity of the work. In any case, it is best to seek advice before purchasing laser equipment of these characteristics.
9º Is it cost-effective to buy a laser welding machine?
Definitely. They are very cost-effective machines in the long term. LC WELD laser welding machines have a long service life, they also allow us to save energy, it is a very efficient machine, and also consumables such as filler wire, as these machines do not require as much filler wire when working as other TIG or MIG welding machines. We can affirm that it also allows us to save working time, which translates into savings in production costs.
10º What type of laser does a floor screed machine have?
Laser welding machines have a fibre laser. These types of lasers can also be used, for example, in the field of laser cleaning and other applications. They have a long service life and offer many advantages over other types of lasers, such as CO2 lasers.
11º Can a laser welding machine replace TIG or MIG?
It depends on the work that our company carries out. On many occasions they are complementary equipment, and for some applications the laser will be more suitable and perhaps for others we will prefer the TIG. On other occasions and depending on the most usual work carried out by a company, it can be substituted, and on other occasions it cannot.
12º Where can I see demonstrations of the laser welding machine?
LaserComercial has different ways to publicize the laser welding machines, if you want to see all the videos and photos of the machines in operation, you can access our social networks like instagram or go to our Youtube channel. Here we continuously upload videos about all our types of laser machines, demonstrations of different types of applications. Another way to access content about LC-WELD, is by visiting our website, where we have the <<Blog>> section, here you can access the latest news about our laser equipment, and all the events we attend.
