Like any new technology, there are many questions people ask about Laser Welding. This new technology makes welding faster, easier and more efficient. We’ve distilled the most frequently asked questions that crop-up in discussions around Laser Welding, and the IPG LightWELD systems.
If you’ve got further questions, we’d be happy to discuss these with you, just reach out to us.
LightWELD Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, LightWELD offers travel speeds up to four times faster than traditional methods. It simplifies or eliminates the need for fixturing and significantly reduces or eliminates post-weld grinding or sanding. This increased productivity minimises rework.
Absolutely! LightWELD is quick to learn compared to MIG and TIG welding, which can take a lifetime to master. With LightWELD, new users can achieve high-quality welds in just a few hours.
LightWELD comes preloaded with optimized welding parameters for the most common materials and thicknesses. You can adjust the power up or down to match your desired penetration and travel speed. Additionally, you can save these settings and recall them as needed.
Yes, LightWELD can easily weld dissimilar metals such as copper to stainless steel or aluminum. It can also handle parts with different thicknesses across various weld joint types, including tee, butt, corner, lap, and edge.
LightWELD XC allows for single-sided welding of stainless steel, galvanized steel, mild steel, and aluminium up to 4 mm in thickness, and double-sided welding up to 10 mm. For copper, single-sided welding is possible up to 1 mm, and double-sided welding up to 2 mm.
The new LightWELD XR increases the maximum weld thickness up to 6mm for Steel, and 3000 and 5000 Series Aluminium, as well as adding additional capacities for 6000 Series Aluminium, Titanium & Nickel Alloys and even Copper!
| LightWELD XC | LightWELD XR | ||
| Mild Steel | mm | 4 | 6.35 |
| Stainless Steel | mm | 4 | 6.35 |
| Aluminium 3 / 5 Series | mm | 4 | 6.35 |
| Aluminium 6 Series | mm | N/A | 3 |
| Titanium & Nickel Alloy | mm | N/A | 5 |
| Natural Copper | mm | N/A | 2 |
Absolutely! LightWELD excels in both vertical and upside-down welding applications. With minimal spatter and no consumables required, it is safe and easy to weld in any position.
- Continuous wave: The laser remains on constantly, providing maximum penetration and travel speed.
- Pulsed mode: The laser pulses at lower energy levels for slower welding with reduced heat input.
- Tack mode: Used to create identical tack welds.
- Stitch mode: Ideal for repeated tacking or overlap welds.
- High peak power mode: Utiliaes short bursts of high power for penetrating reflective metals.
LightWELD can operate at a 100% duty cycle with a maximum laser power of 1500 watts. This is a major advantage over other alternatives on the market that can only be used for short periods of time before overheating.
Wobble welding involves oscillating the laser beam back and forth at various frequencies. This technique produces wider seams and more aesthetically pleasing welds, making it particularly useful for parts with poor fit-up. LightWELD comes with pre-programmed wobble parameters and allows on-the-fly control of up to 5 mm of wobble welding at adjustable frequencies of up to 300 Hz.
If you’d like to know more about Laser Welding, please reach out to us, or book a demonstration either at our Hereford showroom, or our mobile demonstration van using the form below.
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Published 11th September 2023