Laser Welding Advantages and Disadvantages

Laser welding stainless steel is a widely used laser cutting equipment in the industrial market, especially in kitchen appliances, kitchen and bathroom, automobile Among these, laser welding of stainless steel is a good choice.

This article will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of laser welding stainless steel.

Advantages of laser welding stainless steel

The currently used handheld laser welding machine replaces the traditional manual auxiliary method. Through the semi-automatic laser welding of mold pins, effectively improves production efficiency, reduces labor costs,laser welding strength strong and improves product quality. The handheld laser welding machine is used to weld products, and The positioning component is fixed on the base. The above handheld laser welding machine solves the problem of heat easily deforming the product during the welding process, which is beneficial to reduce the defect rate of the product. Because it is placed in the positioning slot during the welding process, the product Has been improved, the welding accuracy of the handheld laser welding machine.

1. There are many types of weldable materials, and laser welder for stainless steel is possible to weld heterogeneous materials.
2. 0 contact welding, you can easily weld relatively complex parts,
3. The welding environment is diverse. Welding can be performed in a confined space or in an electromagnetic field, vacuum, or a certain gas environment. It is not affected by the magnetic field, and can also be welded through glass or transparent materials.
4. The laser welding metals speed is fast, the depth is large, the heat affected zone is small, and the thermal deformation of heat conduction is small
5. Small parts can be welded, the laser beam focuses on a small spot, and precise positioning can be achieved. Stainless steel welding can achieve automated mass production.;
6. When welding thin materials or small-diameter substrates, there will be no remelting, and the weld seams are neat and beautiful, without polishing;
7. Perforated welding, the depth-to-width ratio of the weld bead can reach 5:1, and the highest can reach 10:1.

Disadvantages of stainless steel laser welding

1. When welding high reflective materials such as aluminum plate, copper and alloy, the welding will be different;
2. The energy conversion efficiency is too low, usually less than 10%;
3. The substrate needs to use welding fixtures to ensure that the substrate is aligned with the solder joints;
4. The core component laser and operating system equipment are expensive, and the initial investment cost is large;
5. In order to ensure the accuracy of welding, it is necessary to weld within the focus range of the laser beam, otherwise it will easily lead to defects;

Factors affecting welding thickness:

Laser power and welding parameter settings can generally weld stainless steel plates ranging from several hundred microns to several millimeters.

High power can weld thicker stainless steel. If the plate is too thick, multiple weldings may be needed to ensure the quality and effect of the welding.

The welding thickness is also related to the type, material and characteristics of the stainless steel material.

Matters needing attention when welding thick stainless steel materials

• Multiple weldings: When materials exceed the power range of the welding machine, multiple weldings are required. During each welding process, the welding machine gradually welds a portion of the material, then moves the welding position and continues with the next weld until the entire weld is completed.
• Filler Material: Filler material, such as welding wire or electrode, may be required to fill the weld. Provides extra material and strength to support welding areas.
• Preheating and post-heat treatment: Preheating can help improve welding performance and reduce the possibility of cracks forming. Post-heat treatment can use annealing or other heat treatments to reduce stress in the welding area.
• Welding joint design: Proper joint design is very important. Reasonably design joint shape, width and spacing to ensure welding quality and strength.
• Controlling welding parameters: Accurately controlling welding parameters (such as power, speed, focus position, etc.) is the key to ensuring welding quality.

For thicker stainless steel materials, welding parameters need to be adjusted according to specific conditions to obtain the best welding results. It should be noted that the above measures and precautions may vary depending on the specific stainless steel material and welding requirements. It is recommended to consult a professional welding engineer or technician before welding to ensure that suitable welding methods and parameters are selected and a high-quality welding connection is obtained.

Welding thin stainless steel

• Reduce power and energy density: Reduce the power and energy density of your laser welding machine to avoid overheating and burn-through.
• Use welding auxiliary materials: Use welding auxiliary materials, such as protective gas (such as inert gas) or protective agent (such as argon). It provides a protective atmosphere that prevents oxygen from reacting with the weld pool and reduces oxidation and contamination.
• Control the welding speed: Too fast a speed can result in incomplete welding, while too slow a speed can cause overheating.
• Optimize welding parameters: Accurately controlling welding parameters, such as pulse frequency, duty cycle and focus position, is the key to ensuring welding quality.
• Surface treatment: Before laser welding, ensure that the surface of the stainless steel material is clean and treated. This provides a better welding surface by removing impurities such as oxide layers, grease, dust, etc.
• Welding fixation and support: Thin stainless steel materials may undergo large thermal deformation and shrinkage during the welding process.
• Control welding time and heat input: For thin stainless steel materials, it is important to control welding time and heat input.

Using the rotating device of the laser welding machine, welding of round or tubular stainless steel materials can be achieved. At the same time, before laser welding, predictive analysis such as simulation and simulation can also be performed to evaluate the effects of different welding parameter settings and select the best welding solution.

Laser welding is an efficient, precise, and controllable welding method that is widely used in the processing of stainless steel materials. Through reasonable welding parameter settings and technical control, high-quality welding connections of various stainless steel materials can be achieved.