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Laser
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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.
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.
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