Laser Welding Services

Laser welding is a commercial process used extensively to weld a wide range of materials. The laser beam is focused toward a seam or area which causes the materials to from change from solid to liquid and, as the laser energy is removed, back to solid. Laser welding is a type of fusion welding which may be used to produce selective area spot welds or linear continuous seam welds. There are two types of laser welding processes, conduction and penetration.

Laser conduction welding relies on the conductivity of the material being welded. The laser beam is focused on a specific area on the material which by proximity will conduct heat into the joint area to be welded. By focusing laser beam at a location, heat is generated which is conducted into the joint causing the material change from a solid to a liquid and combine to the two separate liquid materials. After the material from the two material change back to a solid the two material are joined or welded at that location. Laser conduction welds are used for spot welding , continuous and partial penetration seam welding.

Laser penetration welding is produced by focusing the laser beam energy at a single location until the stacked materials are heated to a liquid state and some of the material vaporizes creating a hole within the material equal to the thickness of the material. When the stacked materials cool from a liquid to a solid state the material has been joined at that location through both stacked materials. Similar to the Spot / Lap weld joint illustration shown below, except the weld is completely through both materials.

Laser Weld Type	Illustration
Butt Weld Joint
Edge Weld Joint
Spot / Lap Weld Joint
Lap Weld Joint
Tee Weld Joint
Corner Weld Joint

There are two common types of laser welding technologies in use,

• CO₂ Gas laser
• Solid state lasers ( YAG type )

CO2 lasers use a mixture of high purity carbon dioxide with helium and nitrogen as the lasing medium. Here are some of the key characteristics for CO2 lasers:

• Infrared ( 10.6 micro-meters )
• Beam transmission by mirror only (not fiber optic)
• Cutting lasers are typically from 0.5 to 2 kw
• Can cut non-metallic materials
• High cutting speed

YAG lasers use a solid bar of yttrium aluminum garnet doped with neodymium as the lasing medium. Here are some of the key characteristics for YAG lasers:

• Infrared (1.06 micro-meters)
• Beam transmission by optical fiber possible
• Available to 2 kw
• Wavelength absorbed well by metallic materials ( including Al & Cu )
• Not used for cutting non-metallic materials

Both CO2 and YAG lasers can operate in either continuous or pulsed operating modes.