Comparison between laser welding and other welding methods

Compared with other welding techniques, the main advantages of laser welding are:

1. Fast speed, deep depth, and minimal deformation.

2. Capable of welding at room temperature or under special conditions, with simple welding equipment. For example, when a laser passes through an electromagnetic field, the beam will not deviate; Laser can be used for welding in vacuum, air, and certain gas environments, and can be used for welding through glass or materials that are transparent to the beam.

3. Can weld refractory materials such as titanium, quartz, etc., and can also weld dissimilar materials with good results.

4. After laser focusing, the power density is high. When welding high-power devices, the aspect ratio can reach 5:1, and the highest can reach 10:1.

5. Micro welding can be performed. After focusing, the laser beam can obtain a very small spot and be accurately positioned, which can be applied to the assembly and welding of micro and small workpieces in large-scale automated production. (The minimum spot size can reach 0.1mm)

6. Weldable parts that are difficult to access can be welded using non-contact long-distance welding, which has great flexibility. Especially in recent years, fiber optic transmission technology has been adopted in YAG laser processing technology, and the popularity of fiber optic continuous lasers has made laser welding technology more widely promoted and applied, making it easier for automation integration.

7. Laser beams can easily achieve beam splitting in time and space, enabling simultaneous processing of multiple beams and multiple workstations, providing conditions for more precise welding.

Laser welding also has certain limitations:

1. Require high precision in welding assembly and ensure that the position of the beam on the workpiece is not significantly offset. This is because after laser focusing, the spot size is small and the weld seam is narrow, requiring the addition of filler metal material. If the assembly accuracy or beam positioning accuracy of the workpiece does not meet the requirements, it is easy to cause welding defects.

2. The cost of lasers and their related systems is relatively high, with a large one-time investment.