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Due
to the flexibility of laser welding, most components can be welded
with no changes or special design considerations. However, a few
basic features will improve the weld properties and provide a better
finished product.
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Close
fit of mating parts. The ideal weld is achieved when the two
parts come into direct contact. In many cases however, direct
contact is not possible. Gaps of .005" to .020" are acceptable
in most cases.
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Provide a "weld prep" area to contain the
heat and the weld bead. This normally consists of a shallow
groove machined on either side of the parts to be joined.
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Proper material selection. 304 stainless
steel and low carbon steels weld extremely well along with
several aluminum alloys. Refer to our material selection guide
for more detail.
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Clean components. Parts should be free of
machining oil and contamination. Laser welding is an extremely
clean process which adds no external filler or weld rod. Parts
are normally welded in an inert gas atmosphere of pure argon or
argon/hydrogen mix to obtain the best results.
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