Frequently Asked Questions regarding Laser Welding

Laser welding jobs can vary in length of time and do not necessarily have an average. Is it a 1 pc job or a 100 pc large quantity project? However, statistically the numbers show the time it takes to complete a job is between 2-3 hours.

This question depends much on the size and material of the actual project. How much weld does it need? Is there a chance that adding too much heat can warp or cause discoloration to the project area? If there is specific detail or exiting feature in the weld area than it is best to use a smaller wire and proceed slowly with caution. Wire size is more dependent on the project at hand and not necessarily the material unless it is laser welding aluminum, copper, or other softer metals. A more detailed article on this subject can be found here at this Link.

Welding in itself is a 32 billion dollar industry. Laser welding specifically is a small portion of that value but growing at an exponential rate every year. Companies are increasingly choosing to work with laser welding technology as this operation is much more precise and cost-effective.

Air pockets are a common problem with all types of welding and not just in the laser category. The chances of air pockets will reduce and or go away with experience, understanding the proper settings, making sure you have proper gas coverage, and sometimes decreasing your weld speed to make sure you get a better melt in the weld area.

If the project consists of a large scale weld surface then laser welding may take a really long time to complete so chrome plating could be the better solution. Chrome plating cannot be machined, only ground so this process must also be taken into consideration when deciphering between the two options. With every job comes an in-depth analysis, but in most cases, laser welding can be done with a faster turn around time and will machine off better. Chrome plating always has the chance of peeling if done incorrectly.

There are some materials that tend to be difficult to weld, but it most cases laser welding can be done. Some common examples of materials that provide to be difficult to laser weld are sintered metals, D-2, A-2, and tungsten carbide. However, laser welding is relatively new and research continues to be conducted within the material science category to create more diverse opportunities within the manufacturing world.

When to change frequency, current, and pulse-width in your fiber laser welding machine?

Frequency: This setting is very much dependent on how much heat the part being welded can handle as well as how experienced the laser welder operator is with going at a faster welding rate.
Current: This depends on the size and material of the wire. In a general sense, steel is steel and the operating parameters will not change much on the fiber laser machine settings. When it comes to aluminum and copper, the current will increase drastically in comparison to the steel settings.
Pulse-Width: This is described as the on-time of the laser and works in combination with the current to create the melt of the laser weld. This will be a value of 7-8 for steel, 8-10 for copper, and 4-6 for aluminum materials.

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