With so many ways to join materials, here are our top 10 reasons to use laser welding.
1. Laser welding works with a variety of materials
Laser welding can be used to join a variety of metals, including stainless steel, nickel, titanium, Inconel, and molybdenum.
Notably, laser welding can also be performed with reflective materials, such as copper and aluminum. Joining reflective and dissimilar metals can be difficult or impossible to perform with other welding methods, but laser welding makes it easy.
You can learn more about this in our Material Selection for Welding post.
2. It can make very small welds (microscopic)
We use lasers to weld medical device components, including microfluidics chips and surgical equipment. If it’s small or needs to be welded in a hard-to-reach place, laser welding is the method to choose.
3. It can also make big (deep) welds
In addition to creating microscopic welds, lasers are capable of welding thicker materials and creating structural welds that are 1/2″ deep.
4. The process and results are highly repeatable
If you totally love how your laser welded components turned out, we have good news for you: those results are repeatable. We can do it again, and again, the exact same way. This is because laser welding is…*drumroll…*
5. Components are precision welded
For each job, our laser welding systems’ parameters are customized. With this noncontact process, we can easily control the size of the laser beam and, therefore, the size of the heat affected zone (more on that later!).
6. It’s very fast
Laser welding can perform in minutes what TIG welding could perform in hours. The travel rate of the laser can be between hundreds and thousands of inches per minute.
7. Low heat input and small heat affected zones
Laser welding transmits heat in small, controlled areas. Other processes, like MIG welding, have greater heat inputs, which causes more residual stress on the component. Controlling the heat affected zone with laser welding keeps more of the metallurgical structure intact. The result is a higher quality weld that require less finishing and heat treating.
The controlled heat affected zone also makes it possible for us to weld the exterior of a device without harming thermal-sensitive internal components.
8. Few size constraints on components
Laser welding can be performed in an open-air environment or in a glovebox. This opens up the possibility for working on larger components if you have a capable laser for the job.
9. Easily integrated with off-the-shelf motion products: CNC platforms, robots
Robots have been welding since 1962, and have been used more and more ever since. The road to innovating with this technology is paved and getting smarter all the time.
10. Laser welding is cost effective
Out of all 10 reasons to use laser welding, this is one of the best! You can achieve high quality results without compromising your budget. Laser welding is fast, controllable, and repeatable, making this method highly productive and efficient.
Although laser welding equipment is expensive, working with a contract manufacturer like Joining Technologies can allow you to enjoy the benefits of laser welding for a lower cost. It eliminates the need to secure the floor space, talent, and equipment required for an in-house operation.
Wondering how laser welding can benefit your project? Contact us at 860-653-0111 or click here connect with an expert.