How To Use Handheld Laser Welding Machine Correctly?

The handheld laser welding machine is an emerging welding tool that uses high-energy laser beams to rapidly heat materials, bringing them to a molten state and connecting them. This kind of equipment has gradually been widely used in manufacturing, automotive industry, aerospace and other fields due to its flexible operation, high efficiency and adaptability to a variety of materials. Especially for occasions where precision welding is required, handheld laser welding machines have become the preferred tool for welding workers in various industries due to their excellent welding quality and minimal heat-affected zone.

The advantages of handheld laser welding machines are not only reflected in welding efficiency and quality, but also include its ability to be used in complex environments and small spaces. Compared with traditional welding methods, laser welding can reduce welding deformation and improve the strength and aesthetics of welded joints. In addition, the welding seams produced by laser welding are more detailed and require almost no subsequent processing, which significantly improves production efficiency.

However, no matter how advanced the equipment is, welding quality and operational safety are always the dual importance that cannot be ignored in welding operations. Welding quality is directly related to product performance and reliability, while safety ensures the safety of operators and the normal use of equipment. Therefore, when using a handheld laser welding machine, you must not only master the correct operating techniques, but also follow strict safety regulations to ensure that the welding operation is both efficient and safe.

1. Understand the equipment

● Introduction to equipment structure and main components

Handheld laser welding machines are usually composed of several main components, which work together to achieve efficient welding effects:

Laser generator: The core component that provides a high-energy laser beam, usually a solid laser or a fiber laser.

Optical system: Adjust the focal length and divergence angle of the laser beam to ensure that the laser energy is concentrated in the welding area.

Cooling system: Prevent the laser generator and other components from overheating under high-energy operation, usually using water cooling or air cooling design.

Handheld welding gun: The part directly operated by the operator, including the laser transmitter, general control device and adjustment control button.

Control panel: Used to set and adjust laser parameters such as power, speed, pulse frequency, etc.

● Working principle of laser welding machine

The core principle of laser welding is to use a high-energy laser beam to locally heat the welding material to the melting point, so that it melts and combines quickly. During the welding process, the laser beam penetrates the surface of the workpiece, focuses on the welding area, and introduces heat into the surrounding material through heat conduction to form a molten pool. When the molten material cools, a strong weld joint will be formed. This process can be precisely controlled to reduce the heat-affected zone, thereby maintaining the mechanical properties of the material to the greatest extent.

2. Safety preparation

● Importance of personal protective equipment

Personal protective equipment is essential to ensure the safety of operators when operating handheld laser welding machines. Due to the strong light, heat and possible molten metal splash generated when the laser is emitted, appropriate protective equipment can effectively reduce the risk of accidental injury.

Safety glasses: During laser welding, the strong laser beam may cause damage to the eyes, so wearing special safety glasses can effectively prevent laser beam and ultraviolet damage to the eyes.

Gloves: Use high-temperature, heat-resistant and wear-resistant work gloves to protect your hands from high temperatures and molten metal splashes during welding.

Protective clothing: Wearing protective clothing helps prevent heat, dirt and metal splashes from damaging the skin. It is recommended to choose protective clothing made of refractory materials.

● Safety inspection of the working environment

Ensuring the safety of the working environment is not only related to personal safety, but also the risk of personal injury and equipment damage. Here are two key points:

Ensure good ventilation: Laser welding will cause the emission of gas and smoke. A good ventilation system can effectively evacuate harmful gases, reduce the risk of poisoning or suffocation, and ensure the health of operators.

Clean up flammable items around: Before welding, carefully check and clean up flammable materials around, such as paper, plastic, cloth, etc., to reduce the hidden dangers of fire. Ensuring that the workplace is clean and tidy will help improve the safety factor.

By fully understanding the equipment and carefully preparing for safety, operators can protect their own safety while welding efficiently and reduce the occurrence of accidents.

1. Material preparation

● Select appropriate welding materials

Selecting appropriate welding materials is a key step to ensure welding quality. The selection of welding materials should consider the following factors:

Material type: Select the corresponding welding materials according to the workpiece material to be welded (such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper, etc.) to ensure good bonding.

Thickness matching: Select welding materials that match the thickness of the workpiece to ensure the best melting and bonding effect during welding.

● Ensure cleanliness and grease-free

Before welding, the cleanliness of the workpiece surface directly affects the welding effect. It must be ensured that the welding area is free of dirt, grease, oxides, etc. During the cleaning process, the following methods can be used:

Mechanical cleaning: Use tools such as sandpaper and brushes to remove surface dirt and rust.

Chemical cleaning: Use appropriate cleaning agents (such as isopropyl alcohol or degreasing agents) to chemically clean the surface to ensure that there is no grease residue.

● Fixing and stability check of workpieces

During the welding process, the workpiece must remain stable to ensure welding quality. When fixing the workpiece, the following measures can be taken:

Fixture fixation: Use a clamp or bracket to fix the workpiece to ensure that the position remains unchanged during welding.

Check stability: Before starting welding, check the fixation of the workpiece to ensure that there will be no uneven welds or quality problems due to shaking.

2. Equipment settings

● Adjustment of laser parameters

Correct laser parameter settings are the key to achieving high-quality welding. According to factors such as welding materials and workpiece thickness, adjust the following important parameters:

Power: Adjust the output power of the laser according to the nature and thickness of the material. Too low power may result in loose welding, and too high power may cause material damage.

Speed: The welding speed will affect the penetration depth and weld width. Too fast may result in insufficient welding, and too slow may cause overheating and deformation.

Focal length: The focusing distance of the laser will affect the intensity of the laser beam and the welding effect, and usually needs to be adjusted appropriately according to the characteristics of the welding material.

● Perform a trial weld to verify the set parameters

Before formal welding, it is very important to perform a trial weld. The trial weld can verify whether the set laser parameters are appropriate and make adjustments in time. The steps of the trial weld include:

Select scrap for trial welding: Select scrap similar to the actual welding material for trial welding and observe the welding situation.

Check welding quality: Check the test weld joint, including melting depth, welding strength and surface quality, to ensure the rationality of parameter settings.

Adjust parameters: According to the test welding results, timely fine-tune the laser parameters to achieve the best welding effect.

By carefully preparing materials, adjusting equipment settings and conducting test welding, the welding quality during operation can be ensured, and the overall work efficiency and safety can be improved.

1. Turn off the equipment

a. Properly shut down the laser welding machine and cool it down

After completing the welding operation, be sure to follow the correct shutdown steps in the operating manual. Usually include:

Turn off the laser source: gradually adjust the welding parameters to the standby state, and finally turn off the laser source.

Cut off the power: Make sure to cut off the power after turning off all functions of the laser welding machine to protect the equipment.

Cooling time: Allow the equipment to cool down sufficiently, especially the laser emitter and cooling system, to prevent equipment damage due to overheating.

b. Regular maintenance and inspection of equipment status

Develop a regular maintenance plan, including inspections after each use and regular in-depth maintenance. The main contents include:

Inspect key components: such as laser lenses, cooling systems, and electrical connections to ensure that there is no wear or failure.

Cleaning equipment: Regularly clean the laser emitter and optical path to ensure that the equipment operates efficiently.

2. Quality acceptance

a. Check the appearance and strength of the welded joint

Visually inspect the weld to ensure that there are no obvious defects, such as pores, cracks, or insufficient welding. This can be done through the following steps:

Appearance evaluation: Check the continuity and neatness of the welded joint to confirm that it meets the design requirements.

Strength test: If necessary, the welded joints can be subjected to strength tests such as tensile and bending to verify that they meet the use standards.

b. Ensure that welding meets quality standards

Record the welding quality according to relevant industry standards and internal company standards to ensure that it meets flight quality requirements and acceptance standards.

3. Organize the work area

a. Clean up the residues during welding

After the welding operation is completed, clean up the work area in time, including:

Waste cleaning: such as metal chips and slag generated by welding, to ensure that the work area is clean and tidy to avoid affecting subsequent operations.

Tool return: All welding tools and equipment should be reasonably stored to ensure safety and convenience.

b. Record problems and improvement plans during welding

Establish typical welding records and record in detail:

Problems encountered during welding: including equipment failure, operating errors, welding defects, etc., for subsequent analysis.

Improvement plan: Propose solutions and improvement measures for problems, accumulate experience for future operations, and improve welding quality.

Through the above post-welding processing steps, the safety of welding operations and the long-term stability of equipment can be ensured, while improving welding quality and work efficiency.