Photonics Express and the automotive welding team at WMG, University of Warwick, have collaborated to introduce laser handheld welding to the UK e-mobility supply chain.
Handheld laser welding is becoming increasingly important in the UK for several reasons. Photonics Express has worked closely with WMG to ensure that the technology met all the necessary safety criteria such that the equipment is readily available to the automotive supply chain. Whereas the majority of handheld systems were optimised for stiff steel wires, we demonstrated that aluminium joining requires new learning.
Handheld welders offer great potential to increase efficiency and speed; an opportunity to boost production efficiency in various industries. Their versatility allows the potential to work with a wide range of materials. However, aluminium and stainless steel perform quite differently with both the laser and the wire feeder.
To achieve the required precision and quality, we carefully selected the correct grade of wire alloy. The laser power and wobble functions were matched to the properties of the wire and the base material. These parameters are easy to adjust on a touch panel and are saved to on-board memory for future reference.
The laser equipment is supplied with software encryption. Once installed and the passwords loaded, very quickly, we were able to produce strong and neat welding seams, with low porosity and no need for a post process.
The air-cooled GW systems are designed to be user-friendly, with optimized presets that reduce the learning curve for operators. There are readily portable and once configured, you can be welding in minutes. This makes it easier to train new welders and integrate the technology into existing workflows.
Overall, the adoption of handheld laser welding technology in the UK is helping industries improve productivity, maintain high-quality standards, and reduce costs.
Contact: Mark Thompson
mthompson@photonicsexpress.com