Manhart How to choose appropriate laser parameters to achieve the best welding effect?

Choosing appropriate laser parameters to achieve optimal welding results is the key to ensuring welding quality and improving production efficiency. Here are some main laser parameters and their selection suggestions:
###1、 Laser power
*Definition: Laser power refers to the energy input by the laser to the workpiece per second, measured in watts (W). It directly determines the depth and width of the weld seam.
** * Choice suggestion * *:
-Select laser power based on the thickness and type of welding material. Generally speaking, the thicker the welding material, the greater the required laser power.
-On the premise of ensuring welding quality, try to choose a lower laser power to reduce energy consumption and heat affected zone.
###2、 Laser wavelength
*Definition: Laser wavelength is an important characteristic of lasers, and lasers of different wavelengths have different absorption and penetration capabilities on materials.
** * Choice suggestion * *:
-For metal materials, the commonly used laser wavelength is 1064 nanometers (commonly used for handheld laser welding machines) because it has good absorption performance on metal materials.
-If welding special materials or having special requirements for laser wavelength, it is necessary to choose the appropriate laser wavelength based on the material characteristics.
###3、 Welding speed
*Definition: Welding speed refers to the speed at which the laser beam moves on the workpiece during the welding process, usually measured in meters per minute.
** * Choice suggestion * *:
-The faster the welding speed, the higher the production efficiency, but it is also necessary to consider the welding quality and equipment stability.
-Select the appropriate welding speed based on the thermal conductivity, thickness, and requirements of the welding material and the weld seam. Welding speeds that are too fast or too slow can lead to a decrease in welding quality.
###4、 Focal length and spot size
** * Focal length * *: Focal length is the distance of the laser beam from the laser head to the surface of the workpiece. It affects the focusing degree and spot size of the laser beam.
*Spot size: Spot size is the diameter of the spot formed by the laser beam on the surface of the workpiece, which directly affects the energy density and welding effect of welding.
** * Choice suggestion * *:
-Select the appropriate focal length and spot size based on the thickness of the welding material and the requirements of the weld seam. Smaller light spots can provide higher energy density, suitable for deep penetration welding or fine welding.
-Pay attention to maintaining the stability of the focal length and the uniformity of the light spot to ensure consistent welding quality.
###5、 Other parameters
*Pulse width and frequency (for pulsed lasers): Pulse width refers to the duration of the laser pulse, and frequency refers to the number of repetitions of the pulse per unit time. These two parameters together determine the total energy and energy distribution of the laser pulse.
-Adjust the pulse width and frequency according to the requirements of welding materials and welding effect to achieve the best welding effect.
*Beam quality: The beam quality factor (M ² factor) is an important parameter for measuring the quality of laser beams. A smaller M ² factor indicates better beam quality and better focusing effect.
-When choosing a laser, pay attention to its beam quality factor to ensure high-quality welding results.
###6、 Overall consideration
** * Material Characteristics * *: Different materials have different absorption and thermal conductivity properties for lasers, and appropriate laser parameters need to be selected based on the material characteristics.
*Welding requirements: Based on the depth, width, appearance quality, and other requirements of the weld seam, the selection of various parameters should be comprehensively considered.
** * Equipment Stability * *: Ensure that the selected parameters are within the stable operating range of the equipment, avoiding equipment failure or decreased welding quality due to improper parameter settings.
In short, selecting appropriate laser parameters requires comprehensive consideration of the characteristics of the welding material, welding requirements, and equipment stability. In practical applications, it may be necessary to optimize parameter settings through experimentation and adjustment to achieve the best welding effect.