Laser Welding

[DRussell]

Ive started seeing more and more ads for laser welding. Any of you have experience with them? Looks like most of them are 120 volt. I've looked at a couple on Amazon and they say they can weld up to 1/4 inch. Are these like plasma cutters where bigger is better?

 

[Welding man]

We will find out soon. I have got one ordered. I hope I am wrong, but I feel I threw my money away.

 

[Mule Meat]

120 volt. I would say the duty cycle will very short. Most likely only a few seconds.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Ive started seeing more and more ads for laser welding. Any of you have experience with them? Looks like most of them are 120 volt. I've looked at a couple on Amazon and they say they can weld up to 1/4 inch. Are these like plasma cutters where bigger is better?

Never hear of laser welding.
My dentist uses a laser instead of a drill. No novocaine.

 

[JWA]

We will find out soon. I have got one ordered. I hope I am wrong, but I feel I threw my money away.

Let us know how it performs.

 

[DRussell]

120 volt. I would say the duty cycle will very short. Most likely only a few seconds.

Have you ever laser welded?

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I'm not a weldor but my last few years in the lab at Lincoln they were experimenting with lasers for pipeline welds. I don't know much (anything) about the process but heard that cooling rate was a major drawback. Probably OK for mild steel applications.

 

[DRussell]

I'm not a weldor but my last few years in the lab at Lincoln they were experimenting with lasers for pipeline welds. I don't know much (anything) about the process but heard that cooling rate was a major drawback. Probably OK for mild steel applications.

Yes, I've heard that the cooling rate is a problem, especially with aluminum. I've also heard the closest comparison would be Tig rather than Mig or stick.

I've no experience with them, but I'm kind of thinking of getting one and playing around with it some. I was thinking the same as Mule Meat though, that at 120 volts, the duty cycle and/or material thickness limitations would be a problem.

 

[Fred Werring]

oops

 

[thomlan05]

maybe im wrong but the videos ive seen the laser welding looks almost like a deep tack to me, any thoughts?

 

[timcasbolt]

Never heard of it til I read this thread. Seems like there are ones that sell for $100 and there are ones that sell for $10,000. That makes me think additional research is required.

 

[Mule Meat]

Have you ever laser welded?

Just played with one in a friend's shop. His unit cost about $15k and will weld about anything you want. Watching him program his to weld a certain metal was way over my head with each step you had to do. His ran wire and gas like a mig. It had to be set up hot to weld like you see in videos. But it did lay a pretty bead.

Myself. I do not think I would invest in one unless I was welding for a living. I would put my money into a good Mig/Tig unit.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Yes, I've heard that the cooling rate is a problem, especially with aluminum. I've also heard the closest comparison would be Tig rather than Mig or stick.

I've no experience with them, but I'm kind of thinking of getting one and playing around with it some. I was thinking the same as Mule Meat though, that at 120 volts, the duty cycle and/or material thickness limitations would be a problem.s

That would be my guess. Laser seems simple, just a light beam, but it takes some real OOMPH to generate enough energy to melt steel. I laser welded a lot of thermocouples in my lab days but that was on 30 gauge wire (.010) and the pulse left a tiny spot to join the wires. This was K-type but we used some S-type which are platinum-rhodium and it would not even touch those. What I'd heard was welding a butt joint between steel plates it is basically keyholing while moving along the joint.

 

[rrlund]

I wonder if this is the same kind of thing that my nephew had? He had a laser welding business for a while, sold it. He specialized in welding plastic as far as I know.

 

[will-max dairy]

I've watched plenty of videos on laser welding. I've never seen a filler used, and it's always butt joints with perfect fitment.

Unless there is some kind of filler involved, it won't make due here on the farm... Unless I can also get my hands on a CAM-controlled laser cutter.

But, I can see how it would be great for industrial or robotic processes.