What is a Laser Welding Machine?
A laser welding machine is a machine that uses a high-energy pulsed laser or CW lasers to irradiate a workpiece for welding purposes.
It can regulate the energy of the pulsed laser by setting different laser frequencies and pulse widths to weld the workpiece accurately.
Types of Laser Welding Machines
Laser welding machines are also referred to as negative energy feedback, laser cold welding machines, laser argon arc welding machines, laser welding equipment, etc.
Its working method can be divided into laser mold welding machines (manual laser welding equipment), automatic laser welding machines, jewelry laser welding machines, laser spot welding machines, fiber optic transmission laser welding machines, vibrating mirror welding machines, handheld welding machines, etc.
Sensor welding machines, silicon steel sheet laser welding equipment, and keyboard laser welding equipment are specialty laser welding equipment examples.
Weldable graphics include points, lines, circles, squares, or any flat shapes drawn by AutoCAD software.
How Laser Welding Machines Work
Laser welding machines use the properties of laser light to weld workpieces.
Laser welding involves the radiation of a high intensity laser beam onto a metal surface. Through the laser’s interaction with the metal, the metal absorbs the laser and converts it into heat energy, causing the metal to melt and cool to crystallize to form a weld.
2 types of laser welding mechanisms
1. Heat conduction welding
When the laser light hits the surface of the material, part of the laser light is reflected, and part is absorbed by the material, which converts the light energy into heat energy and heats and melts. The heat from the surface of the material continues to be transferred deeper into the material in the form of heat conduction, and finally, the two weldments are welded together.
2. Laser Deep Penetration Welding
When a laser beam with high power density hits the material’s surface, the material absorbs the light energy and converts it into heat energy. The material is heated, melted, and vaporized, producing a large metal vapor. The molten metallic liquid is pushed around by the reaction force generated as the vapor flows out of the surface, forming pits. As the laser continues to irradiate, the crater penetrates deeper. When the laser stops irradiating, the molten liquid around the crater flows back, and the two weldments are welded together as they cool and solidify.
It is a new welding method, mainly used for welding thin-walled materials and precision parts, and can realize spot welding, butt welding, lap welding, seal welding, etc.
Laser Welding Machine Components and Functions
Laser welding is a fast and accurate technique that uses a high-energy density laser beam as the heat source.
One of the most important laser material processing technology applications is laser welding.
It was mostly utilized for welding thin-walled materials and low-speed welding in the 1970s.
The welding process is of the heat conduction type, i.e., the laser radiation heats the surface of the workpiece, and the surface heat spreads to the inside by heat conduction. The workpiece melts and produces a specified molten pool by manipulating laser pulse width, energy, peak power, and repetition frequency.
It has been effectively utilized for precision welding of micro and small objects due to its unique benefits.
A complete laser welding machine consists of five main parts.
Laser Welding Mainframe
The laser welding mainframe mainly generates the laser beam used for welding, consisting of power supply, laser generator, optical path part, control system, etc.
Some low power lasers are usually built into the automatic laser welding table.
Cooling System
The cooling system keeps the laser generator cold and often supplies a 1-5 HP water circulation chiller.
Automatic laser welding table or motion system
This system is used to realize the automatic welding function of the laser, which moves the laser beam according to the welding track according to the specific requirements. Generally speaking, there are three forms of motion control:
- The workpiece moves while the laser head remains stationary.
- The laser head moves while the workpiece remains stationary.
- The laser head as well as the workpiece both move.
The entire system is programmed with motion control by CNC programming to control the motion of the table as required. The simplified programming system has the advantage of being easy to operate, requiring no technical expertise or educational foundation, and can be quickly supported and mastered.
Common table systems on the market include:
- Robotic motion systems.
- Two-dimensional workbenches.
- Three-dimensional workbenches.
- Four-axis linked workbenches.
- Gantry welding table.
- Cantilever table, etc.
They all enable precise welding motion control.
Workholding Fixtures
Generally speaking, laser welding fixtures are mainly used to hold the welded workpiece in place during the laser welding process and enable it to be repeatedly loaded, unloaded, and positioned for automatic laser welding.
Therefore, the fixture is one of the essential pieces of equipment in laser welding production. Especially in mass production, whether the fixture is designed in place will directly affect production efficiency and output.
Observation System
In general, the laser welding machine should be equipped with an observation system for real-time microscopic observation of the workpiece, which is used to facilitate accurate positioning during the preparation of the welding program and to check the welding effect during the welding process. In general, it is equipped with a CCD display system or microscope.
Features of Laser Welding Machine
Features of laser welding
High aspect ratio, small weld width, small heat affected zone, small deformation, rapid welding speed, flat and beautiful weld seam, no or simple post-weld treatment, high quality weld seam, no porosity, precise control, small focused spot, high positioning accuracy, and ease of automation.
Features of laser welding machine
The laser welding machine has a high level of automation, and the welding procedure is straightforward.
The non-contact operation can meet the cleanliness and environmental protection criteria.
The efficiency of the workpiece can be improved by using laser welding equipment to process it.
The processed workpiece has a beautiful appearance, small welding seam, large welding depth, and high quality.
Laser welding equipment is used for various applications, including dental denture processing, keyboard welding, silicon steel sheet welding, sensor welding, and battery seal cover welding.
However, the cost of a laser welding machine is high, and the assembly accuracy of the workpiece is required. There are still limitations in these areas.
Specifications of Laser Welding Machine
Laser power density
One of the most important characteristics of laser processing is laser power density.
At high power densities, the surface layer can be heated to the boiling point in a microsecond time frame, resulting in a significant amount of vaporization.
Therefore, high power density facilitates material removal processes such as punching, cutting, and engraving.
The surface temperature takes a few milliseconds for low power densities to reach the boiling point. Before the surface vaporizes, the bottom layer reaches its melting point, and a good fusion weld is easily formed.
As a result, the power density in conductive laser welding is between 104 and 106 W/cm2.
Pulse waveform
The pulse waveform is a critical consideration in welding, particularly plate welding.
When a high intensity beam hits the surface of a material, some energy is lost from the metal surface due to reflection, and the reflectivity varies with the surface temperature.
During a pulse, the reflectivity of the metal varies greatly.
Pulse Width
One of the most significant parameters in pulse welding is the pulse width.
It is not only a fundamental metric that distinguishes material removal from material melting, but it also determines the cost and volume of the processing equipment.
Influence of defocusing
Due to the high power density in the center of the spot, the laser focus tends to evaporate into holes.
The power density distribution is relatively uniform in all planes away from the laser focus.
There are two defocusing modes: positive and negative defocusing.
Positive defocusing occurs when the focal plane is above the workpiece; otherwise, negative defocusing occurs.
According to geometric optics theory, when the distance between the positive and negative defocusing planes and the welding plane is equal, the power density on the corresponding planes is approximately the same. Still, in reality, the shape of the melt pool is different.
With negative bokeh, greater penetration is obtained, which is related to molten pool formation.
Parameter table of laser welding machines
| Diameter | Joint form | Spec. | Joint performance | |||
| output power/J pulse | Pulse width/ms | Max load/N | Resistance/Ω | |||
| 301 Stainless steel（1Cr17Ni7） | Φ0.33 | butt-joint | 8 | 3.0 | 97 | 0.003 |
| overlap | 8 | 3.0 | 103 | 0.003 | ||
| cross-shaped | 8 | 3.0 | 113 | 0.003 | ||
| T-shape | 8 | 3.4 | 106 | 0.003 | ||
| Φ0.79 | butt-joint | 10 | 3.4 | 145 | 0.002 | |
| overlap | 10 | 3.4 | 157 | 0.002 | ||
| cross-shaped | 10 | 3.4 | 181 | 0.002 | ||
| T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 182 | 0.002 | ||
| Φ0.38+Φ0.79 | butt-joint | 10 | 3.4 | 106 | 0.002 | |
| overlap | 10 | 3.4 | 113 | 0.003 | ||
| cross-shaped | 10 | 3.4 | 116 | 0.003 | ||
| T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 102 | 0.003 | ||
| Φ0.38+Φ0.40 | T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 89 | 0.001 | |
| Copper | Φ0.38 | butt-joint | 10 | 3.4 | 23 | 0.001 |
| overlap | 10 | 3.4 | 23 | 0.001 | ||
| cross-shaped | 10 | 3.4 | 19 | 0.001 | ||
| T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 14 | 0.001 | ||
| Nickel | Φ0.51 | butt-joint | 10 | 3.4 | 55 | 0.001 |
| overlap | 7 | 2.8 | 35 | 0.001 | ||
| cross-shaped | 9 | 3.2 | 30 | 0.001 | ||
| T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 57 | 0.001 | ||
| Tantalum | Φ0.38 | butt-joint | 8 | 3.0 | 52 | 0.001 |
| overlap | 8 | 3.0 | 40 | 0.001 | ||
| cross-shaped | 9 | 3.2 | 42 | 0.001 | ||
| T-shape | 8 | 3.0 | 50 | 0.001 | ||
| Φ0.63 | butt-joint | 11 | 3.5 | 67 | 0.001 | |
| overlap | 11 | 3.5 | 58 | 0.001 | ||
| T-shape | 11 | 3.5 | 77 | 0.001 | ||
| Φ0.65+Φ0.38 | T-shape | 11 | 3.6 | 51 | 0.001 | |
| Copper and tantalum | Φ0.38 | butt-joint | 10 | 3.4 | 17 | 0.001 |
| overlap | 10 | 3.4 | 24 | 0.001 | ||
| cross-shaped | 10 | 3.4 | 18 | 0.001 | ||
| T-shape | 10 | 3.4 | 18 | 0.001 |
Advantages of Laser Welding Machines
Laser welding technology has advanced qualitatively due to constant advancements in the field.
Nowadays, laser welding machines have been applied in many fields, such as high-tech electronics, automobile manufacturing, precision machining, etc.
Laser welding is a type of laser application that combines current and traditional technology, yet it has benefits distinct from traditional processing.
Top 10 advantages of laser welding machine
1. Good laser beam quality
High power density after laser focusing.
Focused high power low order mode laser with small focal spot diameter.
2. High speed, high depth, and minimum deformation advantages laser welding.
Small holes are produced in the metal material during laser welding due to the high power density, and the laser energy is delivered to the deeper part of the workpiece through the small holes with reduced lateral diffusion.
As a result, the fusion depth of the material is large during the scanning of the laser beam.
It is characterized by high speed and a large welding area per unit time.
3. Laser welding is particularly suitable for welding precise and sensitive parts
Due to its large aspect ratio, small specific energy, small heat-affected zone, and small welding deformation, the laser welding machine is particularly suitable for welding precision and heat-sensitive parts. It can eliminate post-welding correction and secondary processing.
4. High flexibility of laser welding
The laser welding machine can weld at any angle and reach otherwise inaccessible parts.
It can weld a variety of complex welded workpieces and large irregularly shaped workpieces.
It has great flexibility and can achieve welding at any angle.
5. Laser welding can weld difficult materials
Not only may laser welding be used to join heterogeneous metals, but it can also be used to join titanium, nickel, zinc, copper, aluminum, chromium, niobium, gold, silver, and they’re as steel, kova alloys, and other alloys.
6. Laser welding machines have a low labor cost.
Since the heat input of laser welding is very low, the deformation after welding is very small, and very beautiful welding results can be achieved.
Therefore, laser welding has very little subsequent processing, greatly reducing or eliminating the huge polishing and leveling process labor.
7. Laser welding machine is easy to operate
Simple welding equipment, a simple operating method, and ease of learning and use are all advantages of laser welding machines.
Staffing needs aren’t very stringent, resulting in lower labor expenses.
8. Laser welding machine has a strong safety performance
The high-safety welding nozzle can only touch the switch when it comes into contact with metal, and the touch switch detects temperature.
During operation, the unique laser generator has safety safeguards.
To avoid eye harm, laser generator operators must wear protective eyewear when operating.
9. The working environment of laser welding machines is diverse
Laser welding machines can be used in various complex working environments and can be used for welding at room temperature or under special conditions.
In many aspects, laser welding, for example, is comparable to electron beam welding. Its welding quality is slightly lower than that of electron beam welding. However, electron beam welding can only be done in a vacuum, and laser welding technology is more advanced and can be employed in various work settings.
10. Welding systems are highly flexible and easy to automate
However, laser welders also have some limitations.
Due to the high cost of laser holiday related systems.
In addition, laser welding machines require a high degree of precision in installing the welded parts, and the position of the light source on the commercial workpiece must not deviate significantly.
As can be seen, the ten advantages of laser welding machines are far superior to traditional welding methods.
Laser welding will not be confined to the current state of the art., electronics, automotive, instrumentation, and other areas in the future.
It will also be more widespread in the military and medical fields, especially in the medical field, with a bright future.
Comparison of laser welding with other welding processes
| Comparison items | Laser welding | Electron beam welding | Tungsten inert-gas arc welding | Gas metal arc welding | Resistance welding |
| Welding efficiency | 0 | 0 | – | – | + |
| Large depth ratio | + | + | – | – | – |
| Small heat affected zone | + | + | – | – | 0 |
| High welding rate | + | + | – | + | – |
| Weld section morphology | + | + | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Welding under atmospheric pressure | + | – | + | + | + |
| Welding high reflectivity materials | – | + | + | + | + |
| Use filling material | 0 | – | + | + | – |
| Automatic welding | + | – | + | 0 | + |
| Cost | – | – | + | + | + |
| Operation cost | 0 | 0 | + | + | + |
| Reliability | + | – | + | + | + |
| Assemble | + | – | – | – | – |
Applications of Laser Welding Machine
Laser welding finds a large number of applications in various types of industries. These industries range from manufacturing to the medical industry to jewelry manufacturing.
Here are a few major industries where laser welding technology is used.
Robotic parts welding would never have become a reality if it weren’t for laser welding technology. The laser beam is aimed at the seam of the part to be welded. A conveyor belt then passes the units to the laser weld.
As a result, the speed at which the process takes place makes it possible to produce welded products quickly. This technology is used in many industries. Almost all manufacturing industries that use metal parts are used for this type of welding. Thus, laser welding has many applications in all types of metal and non-metal manufacturing industries that require welded parts.
Jewelry Industry
The jewelry sector is another key application for laser welding. When it comes to making complicated and delicate jewelry parts from two different materials and fusing them, laser welding technology is ideal.
Automotive – Automotive Industry
According to twi-global, almost 15% of all manufacturing processes in the industry involve laser applications in one way or another. CO2-type welding has a large application in the automotive industry. The main applications for welding are found in the manufacture of gears, transmission components, and powertrains.
Circular and toroidal welds are also required in the majority of these goods. As a result, laser welding can also handle circular welds. In addition, Nd: YAG has a high application in welding body parts and automotive structures.
Laser welding has been a great success in the automotive industry, mainly due to the fast, precise, and efficient operation and the low cost in the long run. You can learn more about the application of laser welding in the automotive industry here.
Medical Industry
If you started listing the various industries that use laser welding, you would run out of time and writing space, but you wouldn’t run out of industries that use laser welding. Likewise, the medical industry has many applications for laser welding methods.
The largest number of applications of laser welding technology in the medical industry is in dissimilar metal welding. Medical assistive devices are usually made up of different electronic components that are further fitted with multiple semiconductors.
The main challenge of this situation arises when different metals and materials possessing different chemical and physical properties are welded together. However, fiber laser welders have successfully done this job.
Some hard metals and materials, such as stainless steel, 440C or 430, and titanium alloys, are also widely used in the medical industry. These materials are to be welded together with an infallible system to ensure the patient’s health.
Other devices, such as pacemakers, automated external defibrillators, and drug pumps, also utilize laser welding technology.
The History of Laser Welding Machines
Before the 1970s, research focused on pulsed laser welding (PW) as high power CW lasers had not yet been developed.
Ruby pulsed lasers were employed in the majority of early laser welding experiments. 1ms pulses had a typical peak output power PM of about 5kW, pulse energy of 1~5J, and pulse frequency less than or equal to 1Hz.
Although the pulse energy was high at the time, the average output power of these lasers was low, which was mostly due to the laser’s low efficiency and the luminous material’s excitation characteristics.
Due to their high average power, lasers soon became the equipment of choice for spot and seam welding after their appearance. Its welding process is carried out by welding joint lapping.
It was not until the birth of continuous power waveform lasers of 1kW or more that laser seam welding with real meaning was realized.
Status and prospects of welding automation technology
Digital welding machines and digital control technology for dynamic grounding technology of representative works have steadily entered the market as digital technology matures.
Large-scale national infrastructure projects have effectively promoted the development and progress of advanced welding, especially welding automation technology.
The manufacturing of automobiles and parts has increased the demand for welding automation.
The government has steadily promoted the basic welding technology of automatic welding – gas shielded welding to replace traditional manual arc welding since the end of the twentieth century and has shown initial success.
It is foreseeable that automatic welding technology will develop at an unprecedented rate in the future.
The current status of efficient automatic welding technology
In the 1990s, the welding industry to achieve mechanization and automation of the welding process as a strategic goal in developing science and technology in various industries was implemented.
That is, research and development of welding production lines and flexible manufacturing technologies, as well as computer-aided design and manufacture; flux-cored wire grew from 2% to 20%, and submerged arc welding materials will continue to expand at a 10% rate.
Among them, the flux-cored wire has grown faster than solid-cored wire and will overtake solid-cored wire in the next 20 years to become the dominating product in welding centers.
The future of welding automation technology
The development of electronics, computer microelectronics, and automation technology has promoted the development of welding automation technology.
In particular, the introduction of CNC technology, flexible manufacturing technology, information processing technology, and other unit technologies have contributed to the revolutionary development of welding automation technology.
(1) One of the fundamental difficulties in welding automation is the intelligence of the welding process control system, which is an essential research direction for the future. We should study the most effective control approaches, such as linear and nonlinear control. The most representative of the welding process are fuzzy control, neural network control, and expert systems.
(2) welding flexibility technology
In future research, we will combine various optical, mechanical, and electrical technologies with welding technology in an organic way to achieve welding accuracy and flexibility.
The use of microelectronics technology to change traditional welding process equipment is the most basic technique to improve welding automation.
The combination of CNC technology and various welding machinery and equipment to improve flexibility is our current research direction.
Our research also focuses on using welding robots and expert systems to achieve automatic path planning, automatic trajectory correction, automatic penetration control, and other services.
(3) The integration of the welding control system integrates people and technology, welding technology, and information technology.
Information flow and material flow is important part of the integrated system. Promoting organic mixing can considerably reduce the volume of data and real-time control requirements.
Attention should be paid to give full play to the human response and judgment in the control and field processing, the establishment of a friendly human-machine interface so that the human and automatic systems are in harmony and unity, which is a factor that should not be underestimated in the integrated system.
(4) Improving the reliability, quality stability, and control of the welding power source, as well as excellent dynamic performance, is also the subject of our attention.
Development of high-performance welding machine, adjust the arc movement, wire feeding, and torch attitude, detect the start of the weld slope, temperature field, molten pool state, and penetration, and provide timely welding specification parameters. We are actively developing computer simulation technology for the welding process to evolve from “technology” to “science,” which is an important aspect of welding automation.
Why Choose a Laser Welding Machine?
Laser welding machines save time and effort.
To better satisfy our requirements and achieve faster processes in any work, we must design some corresponding instruments to assist us in completing some operations and saving time and energy.
Great strides have been made in these fields due to the ongoing advancement of technology. Any task in daily life can be automated to a high degree.
Each factory can better improve production and supply efficiency, reduce costs, and gain better operational efficiency.
In the welding process, it is very necessary to choose some good tools to improve the speed of your operation better. And a laser welding machine is a good choice.
Laser welding can achieve better production results
For every user, why laser welding machines can achieve better productivity?
As a new energy source, it has a stronger working condition and can complete the effective processing of some materials. In the welding process, certain novel welding methods will be adopted to ensure the welding result and complete each user’s activity in a short amount of time.
People’s living efficiency and working conditions will improve at an increasing rate in the future market. To achieve better production results and meet more users’ requirements, each factory has to continuously improve its technology, achieve more breakthroughs, improve the defects and deficiencies in all aspects, and effectively improve some of the performance that should be improved.
Only constantly from this direction can our products get a better competitive advantage to each user to bring better use effect and achieve effective cooperation between the two sides.
Laser welding machine to manufacturers to bring more convenience
In the welding process, the choice of a laser welding machine is a good choice; it can bring more convenience for manufacturers to achieve higher efficiency. You can complete your work in a set amount of time for each factory in the operation process and, therefore, improve your factory’s operational efficiency. Simultaneously, it is critical to finish the successful welding of several huge tools and improve their process.
If this link isn’t secure, a lot of time and effort could be lost welding some enormous equipment that no one wants to see.
The Significance of Selecting the Appropriate Laser Welding Machine
As laser welding technology continues to mature and develop, different configurations of laser welding equipment correspond to different results.
However, is it right to choose the more expensive and better laser welding machine equipment among many companies?
The answer, of course, is no.
So how do you choose the laser welding machine equipment that is the most appropriate?
Only when we understand it clearly, can we know what benefits it has for us. Now let’s talk about the importance of choosing the right laser welding machine!
Before customers choose laser welding machine equipment, the idea is that the chosen laser welding machine equipment can meet my needs, achieve my processing results, and bring me benefits and advantages. Such equipment is what I want.
The price of laser welding equipment, on the other hand, is positioned at the high-end and low-end for laser welding machine makers. High-end equipment can make the processing effect more perfect from the processing effect. A variety of styles, for example, can process a variety of materials, metal and non-metal.
The processing result is excellent as well, although such equipment is expensive.
Is it advisable to go with a high-end laser welding machine?
Of course not. If your material is for non-metallic materials, there is no metal material, and the processing effect is not so great, it is recommended to choose the general one is fine.
Because the more features, the more effective the equipment is, and the more products you process, the more expensive the machine and equipment will be.
In addition, if you buy it without using all its functions, you will spend money on furniture, so it is not worth it.
Only consider what you want to do with this machine and equipment, whether you want to create the same or different products, and then decide based on your requirements.
As a result, only the best laser welding machine equipment should be used.
Suitable means that the businessman’s products can be processed, and the industry with the most applications can meet your requirements. It brings benefits that can meet your requirements. Such equipment is worth more, as opposed to suitability.
What factors Determine the Price of a Laser Welding Machine?
If you leave this question alone, you can be sure that a highly efficient and high quality laser welding machine is worth buying!
However, laser welding machines are on the market in the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. A good laser welding machine can double the success rate of your work.
So, what should we consider when determining if a laser welding machine is worth buying?
1. Power
First and foremost is power.
The laser is the heart of the laser equipment. The higher the power, the more expensive it is.
This is because the higher the power, the more the laser bar and cooling system are needed.
2. Configuration
A laser welding machine’s configuration entails a variety of factors.
There are different configurations of laser welding machines for different purposes, such as mold welding machines for welding molds, jewelry welding machines for welding jewelry, vibrating mirror welding machines inside automatic welding machines, fiber optic transmission laser welding machines, fiber optic continuous laser welding machines, etc.
With different equipment configurations, the price is also different.
In addition, the price of an automatic welding machine is generally higher than a manual welding machine because the automatic control system needs supporting automatic configuration, such as a CCD camera monitoring system.
3. Requirements for customization
There are also some customization requirements so that the price will be higher.
For example, some production processes require customization of some automatic fixtures, modification of the table, or additional functional accessories.
4. Working method
Laser welding machines must be equipped with workbenches, such as vibrating mirror working method, automatic working method, spot welding working method, and handheld working method. The worktable is non-standard and needs to be designed according to the customer’s product, so the price is not fixed.
5. Accessories
Imported products are usually more expensive than domestic imported products, and domestic prices are not balanced.
It’s fair to say that the cost of accessories varies a lot.
6. Brand
The brand also affects the offer.
The brand is also a point that should not be ignored.
Because laser welding devices are sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars and require a high degree of technology and after-sales service, they must be obtained through formal channels.
Finding manufacturers for direct sales is suggested. Good brands have more mature technology, good product quality, stable performance, and better after-sales service guarantees.
What are the Price Differences Between Different Brands of Laser Welding Machines?
Laser welding equipment is now widely utilized in various fields, including digital products, energy batteries, hardware and plastic, kitchen and bathroom, mechanical manufacture, precision electronics, and artisan jewelry.
There are different brands of laser welding machines, but the structure is similar. What is the difference between various laser welding equipment?
Reasons for laser welding equipment brand pricing differences.
1. Manufacturing cost
Laser welding equipment comes in various brands, each with its own set of benefits, but their structures are all the same.
The laser generator, torch head, control motherboard, operating system, circuit components, sheet metal enclosure, and other components make up laser welding equipment.
A good piece of equipment must choose better components, and equipment made up of good components will be more stable and have higher performance.
Pursuing the low price should start from the components to reduce the cost, and the corresponding price will be lower.
2. Technology level
Various companies make laser welding machines, and the level of technology varies. A manufacturer’s technical strength can be seen from the product composition of the equipment, commissioning, and after-sales maintenance.
The corresponding cost will also increase for manufacturers with a certain number of technical personnel. The price of such manufacturers’ equipment will not be too low, and some manufacturers without core technology will promote the market with low prices. The principle of a penny for a pound is very practical here.
3. After-sales service
Equipment transactions will involve after-sales issues.
Long-term use of a laser welding machine is certain to cause issues.
Production will be delayed for a longer period if there is a problem with the equipment, which is a good test of the manufacturer’s after-sales ability.
The excellent after-sales staff allows customers to better production and increases manufacturers’ cost. This service is less for manufacturers who do not provide after-sales service, and the corresponding price will be lower.
Which Laser Welding Machine Company is the Best?
The level of development of the manufacturing industry is one of the factors that reflect the comprehensive strength of a country and reflect the national economic growth.
People’s consumption concepts have changed as the economy has grown. Product quality and functionality requirements have risen, requiring laser welding equipment manufacturers to constantly improve the manufacturing process, improve quality, and increase production efficiency to meet market demand and user recognition.
Currently, manufacturing companies’ demand for laser welding machine equipment is increasing. The reason for this is that laser technology is used for welding processes. It has the benefits of quick welding speed, a firm and attractive weld seam, no secondary grinding treatment, simple operation, automatic mass production processing, and so on, improving product processing efficiency and lower labor costs for businesses.
Therefore, the market demand for laser welding machine equipment is huge, and there are many laser welding manufacturers in the market.
Different laser welding equipment has varying levels of quality, with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Many users do not know how to choose in the face of many laser equipment manufacturers.
How to choose a laser welder manufacturer
Let me briefly introduce some factors you need to refer to when buying laser welding equipment.
1. First, determine whether their welding criteria, such as welding thickness and penetration requirements, are compatible with the manufacturer’s equipment.
2. The laser welding machine’s quality must be considered.
After all, tens of thousands of dollars for a piece of machinery is not chump change. It is best to visit the site for sample welding before purchase to understand whether the functional requirements of the equipment are appropriate.
3. big brand manufacturers and small brand manufacturers of equipment selection
Some clients feel that the quality of laser welding machines made by large brands must be superior to that of small businesses.
There is no certain standard.
Users buy equipment to create value and gain profit.
The price of equipment from large companies is much higher, which leads to increased costs. The equipment of non-large brand companies is generally available at a significant discount in price. The quality is not necessarily worse than that of the brand companies, which is worth considering and the cost effectiveness.
The quality of the after-sales service of laser welding machine manufacturers is a great concern for many consumers.
After purchasing welding equipment, you also need the manufacturer’s technical staff to the site for debugging, layout, and choosing the configuration according to the actual production situation.
If subsequent equipment or parts need to be replaced, the manufacturer should be contacted promptly for processing.
How to Choose a Laser Welding Machine?
Because of the rapid advancement of laser technology, there are many different brands of laser welding equipment on the market, and the quality of the items varies. Buyers generally do not know where to start when purchasing laser welding equipment.
What factors should we consider when selecting laser welding equipment?
When it comes to laser welding machine equipment, we have a variety of solutions.
First, assess whether the product can be welded using laser welding technology.
When choosing laser welding equipment, we must first determine whether our products are suitable for welding with laser welding machine equipment.
In the past, we assessed the circumstances of over 200 consumers.
Laser welding is not suitable for two categories of products in particular.
- The weld seam is too large (generally more than 0.5mm).
- The thickness is too thick (typically more than 5mm).
The most suitable workpieces for laser welding are thin sheet workpieces with a good consistency (typically no more than 3mm thick) and a weld seam width of no more than 10% of the sheet thickness. A double-swing welding joint is required for welds that are slightly over the thickness, but the swing point can cause laser energy dispersion and affect cutting efficiency.
We do not recommend our customers use laser welding for workpieces with excessively large weld seams. Similarly, the high cost of the equipment and the correction process make laser welding of thick plates difficult. Customers are not advised to use it at this time.
For example, if the welding depth of the product is between 2.5mm-3mm and the laser welding machine is more than 3mm, it is not suitable.
Currently, most manufacturers of laser welding equipment will offer free prototyping services. Before purchasing, make sure to let the other party take a sample to see the effect, and then determine whether the use of laser welding equipment can meet your requirements.
Manual welding or automatic welding?
Precision welding includes two aspects: good welding of precision products and high requirements for the weld seam of welded products. Laser welding falls under this category.
If the weld seam contains more than 15 wires, the wire must be filled, and only manual welding machines can be used.
On the contrary, it can be automated if the weld seam is less than 15 wires. Gapless is best because laser welding is achieved by self-melting the sample.
If there are many types of workpieces, small quantities per batch, making tooling is too troublesome, or if the workpieces are difficult to position and the welding position is hard to reach, spot welding is most common, then handheld laser welding can be considered.
Handheld laser welders have become very popular in the past two years, but the fact is that they are useless and cannot be used for the right purpose. Unscrupulous and unscrupulous dealers have defrauded the majority of customers.
Because manual laser welding is difficult to regulate the position of the spot and focal point, even a small deviation can affect the welding outcome. This method’s welding consistency is poor, and manual operators find it difficult to weld continuously for long periods.
Furthermore, the risk of hand laser welding is substantial, and the dangers posed by accidents are significant.
Customers must be careful when choosing handheld laser welding and not be fooled by welding videos.
After that, let’s talk about the automatic laser welding method.
Suppose the customer has a complex welding track with many curved tracks, specially shaped tracks, or several sides that must be welded simultaneously. In that case, we recommend a handheld laser welding machine.
It not only has a high degree of flexibility, but it also works with specific tooling and a linkage table that can be clamped consecutively and welded fully autonomously, allowing for multi-machine synergistic welding.
If the customer has a simple workpiece with long and straight welding seams or intersecting lines of standard pipe fittings, we recommend using a modular laser welding machine.
Choose the power of the laser welding machine according to your product properties
The laser generator is the core component of the laser equipment. Generally speaking, the higher the power, the higher the price.
This is because, in terms of hardware configuration, the higher the power, the higher the laser bar and cooling system requirements.
In general, the greater the welding depth and thickness, the higher the power of the laser welder.
If the welding depth you require is 0.5mm, a 200W laser welder will do the job.
Note that for penetration welding and spot welding, 200W is sufficient.
It is best to use a slightly higher laser power for continuous welding, as a 200W laser welder can weld up to 0.8mm deep.
Because the welding depth for continuous welding is around 0.5mm, a 250W or 300W laser welder is recommended.
The deeper the welding depth, the higher the power of the corresponding laser welder.
Select the appropriate hardware configuration and the main purpose
The hardware configuration of laser welding equipment covers many fields and differs for different uses of laser welding machine equipment.
For example, welding sheet metal boxes, fillet and lap welding of stainless steel and carbon steel, fiber laser welding equipment, and other hardware configurations vary in price.
For instance, penetration depth, width, tensile force or gas tightness requirements, welding length, weld seam shape, and so on. These determine our choice of laser power, core diameter, welding joint ratio, robot spacing, floor rail length, welding process, etc.
Reasonable choice according to cost budget and usage
Some consumers prefer international brands because they are more expensive.
The cost of laser welding machine equipment made in the United States is lower. Now our domestic technology is constantly being updated. Domestic laser technology has reached the international level. It will be more secure and handy if there are any after-sales issues.
We can choose according to our cost, budget, and purpose.
After reading the four important elements listed above, I’m confident you’ll be able to select a laser welding machine that meets your specific requirements.
