In recent years, laser welding machine has gradually replaced traditional welding equipment in industries such as hardware and building materials, automotive manufacturing, electronic products, medical equipment, new energy batteries and aerospace to occupy more market share.
Application of Laser Welding Machine in Automotive Industry
In the automotive industry, BIW welding is widely used and requires as many as 2,000 to 5,000 spot welds, which are traditionally done by resistance spot welding. However, resistance spot welding of galvanized steel has many problems, such as the long time required for welding, the high maintenance cost of the electrodes and the adhesion of the zinc coating to the electronics.
As the automotive industry moves toward lighter-weight structures, other materials such as aluminum and magnesium alloys are emerging as candidates to replace galvanized steel. Since BIW accounts for about 27% of vehicle weight, the use of these lightweight materials is expected to reduce the total weight of the vehicle. However, for these materials, the problems associated with resistance spot welding are more severe. Some of these problems can be overcome by using laser welding.
In addition to BIW, laser welding machines are used for engine parts, transmission parts, alternators, solenoids, fuel injectors, fuel filters, and fuel cells.
Application of Laser Welding Machine in Aerospace Industry
In the aerospace industry, laser welding machines have been used to join various super alloys, such as nickel-based and titanium-based alloys.
Ti6Al4V alloys are commonly used for static and rotating components of turbine engines. In addition, Inconel 718 is commonly used for components of aero engines and gas turbines that operate at high temperatures. Since these alloys are very expensive, welding has the potential to reduce material consumption compared to subtractive material manufacturing processes.
Aluminum alloys are also very popular in the aerospace industry, and in some cases, laser welding can provide a competitive advantage over other welding techniques, such as stir friction welding.
In recent years, laser welding has been used to join polymers and plastics, as the welding of dissimilar materials has become increasingly popular due to the reduction in part cost and design flexibility.
Early on, CO2 lasers were used primarily for welding plastic parts because the laser energy is easily absorbed at its long wavelength of 10.6 mm. Most plastics are transparent at infrared wavelengths, but opaque at long wavelengths.
Transmission laser welding (TLW) has become a viable method of welding plastics using an internal absorber, which provides a way to absorb heat only at the weld interface and minimizes the heat affected zone. Plastic welding equipment represented by home appliances and automotive interiors, and ceramic welding equipment represented by medical devices, have also become important developments in laser welding.
Laser composite welding technology and processes have made great strides and have been used in batch applications in the welding of large format components and complex curved components of ship hulls.
In addition, because the handheld laser welding machine itself is not a high barrier to entry, coupled with the use of the process can meet the pulse welding, quasi-continuous welding and continuous welding free switch, suitable for all types of workpiece complex welding seam, the market has seen a wave of development boom.
