Laser welding: areas of application, functionality & equipment

Laser welding: the advantages at a glance

Laser welding, often referred to as laser beam welding, refers to a welding process that uses laser energy to create welded joints, especially between metallic workpieces. Laser beam welding has numerous advantages, especially compared to other welding techniques:

• Precise energy input even on the finest structures
• Very small heat-affected zones
• High mechanical strength of the seam
• Non-contact laser welding without force on the workpiece
• Good process control for consistent manufacturing quality
• Good accessibility
• Suitable for welding complicated materials, e.g. aluminum welding or titanium welding

Whether laser beam welding, additive manufacturing or laser hardening – Nova Laser System offers comprehensive laser systems for various applications and industries.

Laser welding: Functional principle & areas of application

In laser welding, the welding is done by laser energy. The laser beam is optically focused, so that a high energy input melts a very small spot. During laser welding, the melt pool is protected from oxidation by shielding gas, usually argon. In the weld pool, the workpieces and the welding consumable join together to form a weld seam. By focusing the laser beam, the heat input is limited to a small part of the workpiece, causing the weld seam to cool down quickly - a consequence of the high temperature gradient of the welded area to the whole of the workpiece.

Due to the precise processing with very low distortion and the high welding speed that can be achieved with the laser systems, laser beam welding is used in numerous areas of application, including:

• Automotive industry
• Mechanical Engineering
• Precision engineering
• Shipbuilding
• Toolmaking
• Medical and Dental Technology
• Jewelry Industry
• Sheet metal processing
• Steel construction
• Space
• Casting repair
• Sensor production
• Repair welding

Laser welding: These types exist

Depending on the area of application, different laser welding techniques are used. These differ mainly in the shape of the resulting weld seam by setting the welding parameters accordingly. The following laser welding processes are available:

• Deep welding: In deep welding, the laser intensity is particularly high, so that the evaporation effect occurs and metal plasma is formed. Deep welding is the common variant of laser welding.
• Micro welding: Micro welding is the term used to describe welding processes in which components of very small sizes are welded together. One form of micro welding is spot welding; laser brazing and magnet wire welding also fall under it.
• Spot welding: With low thermal loads, spot welding produces small welds with a diameter of less than 0.1 millimeters. This creates a weld seam made up of many small weld spots. This process is suitable for small geometries.
• Seam welding: Seam welding is a welding process in which the laser source continuously creates a weld seam. This ensures a high welding speed, which is required for joint welding in overlap or joint, among other things.
• Heat conduction welding: Conduction welding provides a very shallow weld. By keeping the laser intensity below the threshold, there is no deep welding.
• Powder cladding: Laser cladding is a type of welding in which metal powder is welded onto a component using laser energy. With little heat influence, a smooth layer is created. It allows for different layer thicknesses as well as 3D volumes and is used in particular in the automotive industry, the energy sector and toolmaking.
• Scanner welding: In scanner welding, the laser beam is positioned without the need to align the workpiece or the processing head – the alignment of the laser beam is done with a rotating mirror.

Precise & fast laser beam welding with the laser systems from Nova Laser System

Nova has set itself the task of making the laser welding process ever more precise, application-oriented and faster. With the laser systems from Nova, numerous materials, including metallic materials with high thermal conductivity or high melting temperatures, can be welded in no time at all.

These are the characteristics of Nova's laser welding systems:

• high laser energy
• Ease of use
• Flexible adjustment of welding parameters, including laser focus, workpiece thickness & laser pulse, among others
• Precise energy input through precise fiber lasers and diode lasers
• Low heat input
• No material distortion
• Clean & precise result as well as slim seam geometry on butt welds, overlap seams or fillet welds at an appropriate welding speed
• Depending on the laser system, it can also be used for powder cladding
• Maximum flexibility through automated, semi-automated or manual laser welding
• depending on the laser welding machine, also mobile laser welding
• Pulse Welding & CW Welding
• Video sequences