Laser welding machine welding thickness affected by what?

The thickness of the metal welded by the laser welding machine is not a fixed value, but is affected by a variety of factors.

What we see on the welding bench: The gap between a clean weld and a failed one is usually parameter discipline, not the box. Shops that lock thickness-to-power settings per material stop chasing porosity and burn-through. We have pulled more welds back from scrap by fixing settings than by swapping hardware.

The first is the laser power, the greater the power, the higher the energy can be provided, and the more likely it is to weld thicker metals. Generally speaking, low-power laser welding machines are suitable for welding thinner metals, such as 0.1-1mm thin sheets; The high-power laser welding machine can cope with thicker materials.

Second, welding speed is also critical. If the welding speed is too fast, the time for the laser energy to act on the metal will be shortened, which may lead to inadequate welding; On the contrary, too slow speed may cause the metal to overheat and deform.

In addition, the material and surface state of the metal will also affect the welding thickness, different materials of the metal on the laser absorption rate is different, the surface impurities or oxide layer will also affect the welding effect.

The welding thickness capacity of different types of laser welding machines

Common types of laser welding machines on the market are fiber laser welding machines, YAG laser welding machines and so on.

Fiber laser welding machine has high energy conversion efficiency and good beam quality, it can weld a wide range of metal thickness. For some common metals, such as stainless steel, it can be welded with a thickness of 0.5-20 mm.

The YAG laser welding machine is relatively weak in terms of welding thickness, and is usually suitable for welding 0.1-6 mm metal. This is because the laser wavelength of the YAG laser welding machine is longer, the energy is relatively dispersed, and more energy and time are needed to achieve good welding results when welding thicker metals.

Weldable thickness of common metal materials

Due to the differences in physical and chemical properties of different metal materials, the thickness that laser welding machines can weld is also different. For aluminum alloy, due to its good thermal conductivity and low absorption rate of laser, the general laser welding machine can weld 1-10 mm aluminum alloy. The welding of copper alloys is relatively difficult, because copper has a high reflectivity to the laser, and can usually be welded with a thickness of 0.5-8 mm.

The welding performance of carbon steel is better, and the laser welding machine can weld 2-25 mm carbon steel. In practical applications, it is also necessary to determine the appropriate welding parameters and weldable thickness according to the specific welding requirements and the quality of the metal.

Effect of welding process on thickness

The choice of welding process will also significantly affect the thickness of the metal that the laser welding machine can weld. For example, pulsed laser welding is suitable for welding thinner metals, and it can precisely control the welding process and reduce the heat-affected zone through the pulsed laser energy output.

Continuous laser welding is more suitable for welding thicker metals, it can provide continuous and stable energy, so that the metal is fully melted and fused. In addition, the auxiliary gas during welding is also very important, and different auxiliary gases can play a role in protecting the weld and blowing away the slag, so as to improve the welding quality and the thickness of the welding.

For example, the use of argon as an auxiliary gas can prevent metal oxidation, which is conducive to welding thicker metals.

Considerations in practical applications

In practical applications, in addition to the factors mentioned above, there are other practical situations that need to be considered.

For example, the environmental conditions of welding, such as high temperature and high humidity, may affect the performance and welding quality of the laser welding machine. In addition, the accuracy requirements of welding will also have an impact on the thickness of the welding, if the welding accuracy requirements are higher, it may be necessary to choose a more suitable laser welding machine and welding process, and appropriately reduce the thickness of the welding.

At the same time, the skill level of the operator is also crucial, and the skilled operator can adjust the welding parameters according to the actual situation, so as to achieve better welding results and greater welding thickness.

The point we repeat: consumables and gas purity decide repeatability. A well-set machine with clean argon out-welds a premium one starved of gas. Buyers obsess over wattage and ignore the bottle — the bottle often matters more. Start with our laser-welder selection guide to match power and pulse to your joints.

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