Laser Welding

Laser welding of metals has significant advantages over traditional welding methods such as arc, TIG, and plasma welding processes. When weighing these advantages, consideration must be given to factors such as material composition, overall part size and configuration, manufacturing environment, weld quality & precision, processing time requirements, and processing cost requirements. Solid state lasers (such as Nd:YAG) are most often used for low to moderate power applications.

(Tech Note: U.S. Laser Corp 'Welding Article')
   

US Laser offers an assortment of both traditional Pulsed and Continuous-Wave (CW) lasers tailored for a variety of applications. Typically, Pulsed lasers are employed for Lap (penetration) welding requirements, whereas CW Lasers are used when Seam (Butt) welding is required. There are a few requirements in which a Q-switched laser may be applicable. However, review of individual customer requirement is recommended to ensure the proper laser is selected for the intended application.

In its simplest form, US Laser can provide a stand alone laser system for OEM applications. In this configuration, the laser head and associated optics are mounted on an optical rail, which is connected to a separate power supply / cooling cabinet by means of electrical cables and cooling lines. A beam delivery system (viewing and focusing module) can be incorporated as a means of directing the laser output to the work-piece. Fiber-optic beam delivery, conventional fixed beam delivery, and Galvanometer based (scanning) beam delivery systems are available depending upon the given application.

   

Lamp-Pumped Lasers

US Laser lamp-pumped Nd:YAG lasers employ the use of high-efficiency, long-life krypton arc-lamps to excite a solid-state Nd:YAG laser rod located within the laser cavity. The configuration of the cavity is optimized to provide high wall-plug efficiency and stable operation. Both fundamental TEM00 and multimode output modes are available. US Laser offers lamp-pumped lasers in single and multi-head configurations, with output powers ranging from several watts to 2400 watts average CW output power (link to US Laser CW systems) , up to 200 Watts average AO Q-switched output power, (link to US Laser QS systems) and up to 400 Watts average Pulsed output power. (link to US Laser Pulsed systems)

Diode-Pumped Lasers

Unlike their lamp pumped counterparts, Diode Pumped Lasers use high efficiency, long life solid state diodes as their pump source. Because of the excellent beam quality, US Laser Diode-Pumped Lasers can generally be focused to smaller spot sizes, and may be suitable for various low power welding applications. US Laser offers CW & AO Q-switched lasers in TEM 00 and multimode operation with output powers from several to 100 Watts, though higher laser output configurations are available as required on a custom basis. (link to US Laser Diode-Pumped systems)

Custom, Turnkey Laser Systems

US Laser offers custom, automated turnkey laser systems for laser welding applications. The 4000 Series Industrial Laser Systems are designed to perform demanding, precision laser processing tasks in a production environment. The Nd YAG Laser System combines accuracy and precision with stability and ruggedness for applications such as welding. (link to US Laser Machining systems) In addition, we offer several integrated cabinet laser systems which are designed for high output CW laser operation using fiber-optic beam delivery, and interfaced to a customer supplied PLC. link to US 408-2 and 408-4 CW systems)

Microprocessing

Structuring and ablation are closely related processes. Short laser pulses of extremely high power produce an energy density so high that the material practically vaporizes without passing through a liquid phase (it sublimates). Very little molten material results from this process. Each laser pulse produces a small depression that is typically 10, 20, or more micrometers in diameter and only a few micrometers deep.
Laser structured solar cell.

For a long time, very few people had ever heard of structuring and ablation with solid -state lasers. The rise in the popularity of microprocessing, however, has focused more attention on these processes. The reason for this is simple: both processes make it possible to machine workpieces in small and ultrasmall dimensions.

Structuring

produces uniformly arranged geometries in surfaces with the goal of inducing specific changes to the surface’s technical properties. In such structures, one single element often measures only a few micrometers.

Laser ablation

is usually used in the manufacture of tools and molds as well as in electronics and semiconductor technology. In injection molding, for example, lasers produce highly detailed, three -dimensional molds into which resin is injected for creating plastic parts. The laser, however, can also be used to trim resistors or mark parts by selectively removing thin layers of material.

Drilling

At percussion drilling multiple laser pulses "peck" at the workpiece, producing the hole little by little. Producing a pilot hole, that is then enlarged in a series of circular motions is called trepanning. Helical drilling means that many laser pulses work their way into the workpiece in a downward spiral.