All MetalShaping

Go Back   All MetalShaping > General Metal Shaping Discussion > Welding Sheet Metal
  Today's Posts Posts for Last 7 Days Posts for Last 14 Days  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-01-2020, 02:27 PM
billfunk29 billfunk29 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 319
Default hand held laser welding

Has anyone been using laser on their metalshaping? It looks like magic in the video. They are no longer priced out of reach. Similar to high end TIG.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTBPh2vKL4
__________________
Bill Funk
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-01-2020, 02:47 PM
Moving Molecules . Moving Molecules . is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: East Sussex... UK
Posts: 73
Default

Just seen the video Bill , would love to have a go....

Modern manufacturers like Volkswagen laser weld there roof panels....It is done so that in a impact The forces are transferred over the car and down to the rear of the car..... to save the occupants..... When l used to do jig work we were told to check the back of the car for damage.
__________________
Precision Panel Craft

Last edited by Moving Molecules .; 10-01-2020 at 02:52 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-01-2020, 02:48 PM
abarthdave abarthdave is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: so cal
Posts: 235
Default

Can you add filler rod when using the laser welder ?
__________________
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-04-2020, 06:22 PM
billfunk29 billfunk29 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 319
Default laser filler

You can add filler with a laser. Mold repairs are frequently done with filler. But this gun thing? I have never seen one live.
__________________
Bill Funk
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-16-2020, 11:18 PM
Don Papenburg Don Papenburg is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: LaSalle county Illinois , USA
Posts: 99
Default

Just looked at several vidios , there is a lot of info missing like what shielding gas are they using ,what about how far did it penetrate . It looks like it would be great . do I need 3ph , or would my 220 line work ,or just a regular 110 line .
__________________
Don Papenburg
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-17-2020, 02:56 AM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
MetalShaper of the Month October '14 , April '16, July 2020, Jan 2023
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western Sierra Nevadas, Badger Hill, CA
Posts: 4,388
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by billfunk29 View Post
Has anyone been using laser on their metalshaping? It looks like magic in the video. They are no longer priced out of reach. Similar to high end TIG.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTBPh2vKL4

(some of the early buyers for handheld laser welding were pawn shops - they drove the market for a while, for one mfr.)
__________________
Kent

http://www.tinmantech.com

"All it takes is a little practical experience to blow the he!! out of a perfectly good theory." --- Lloyd Rosenquist, charter member AWS, 1919.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-17-2020, 08:47 PM
Jack 1957's Avatar
Jack 1957 Jack 1957 is offline
MetalShaper of the Month Dec . 2016, Sept 2019 Metal Shaper Of The Year 2021
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Strongsville,OH
Posts: 1,131
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by billfunk29 View Post
Has anyone been using laser on their metalshaping? It looks like magic in the video. They are no longer priced out of reach. Similar to high end TIG.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTBPh2vKL4



They're only showing the gun. Wait till you see the size of the machine... And the price tag. I watched the video and all I could see is that the welds were not full penetrating. Look closely when they show the backside of the weld. In the real world of metal work, how often do you think this method could be used?
__________________
Jack

Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-11-2023, 06:18 PM
billfunk29 billfunk29 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 319
Default hand laser welding - update

I am still watching this. The IPG system still looks like the best. With a high price as well. ($16000 and up) I think everything is there now, except the budget. Purge gas is nitrogen, so you'll save some there. There is a cleaning cycle to remove oxide on SST. If you used it enough, the labor savings would pay for it. I signed up for a demo. Stay tuned.

https://go.ipgphotonics.com/lightwel...SAAEgLmd_D_BwE
__________________
Bill Funk
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-12-2023, 01:18 AM
Jaroslav Jaroslav is offline
MetalShaper of the Month April 2020, September 2021, November 2022
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 2,601
Default

It's looking great. What about the eyes? A colleague threw away the self-dimming shield. It uses old glass that was used in the distant past. With the onset of TIG, their eyesight deteriorated. All welders switched to the old protections. Something always got into the auto dimming when welding started.
__________________
Jaroslav
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-03-2023, 11:19 AM
Adam H Adam H is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 32
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Papenburg View Post
Just looked at several vidios , there is a lot of info missing like what shielding gas are they using ,what about how far did it penetrate . It looks like it would be great . do I need 3ph , or would my 220 line work ,or just a regular 110 line .
I went and demoed this machine at one of the distributors when the original model was introduced a couple of years ago. You can use standard Argon as a shielding gas and I think there was the possibility of a couple of others if I recall. There are a total of three models now with the most expensive one being around 30K . I still have a sample of SS and the weld is pretty impressive ; at least visually. I never attempted further analysis .
We also welded up a part I designed for a table base made in 16ga CRS and the weld bead size and control were hard to argue with compared to tig.


I looked at it for the possibility of welding brasses ( which is a lot of what I was using and still do occasionally) . It was of no use for this purpose ( hey, I’ll try anything once). Unfortunately I feel this is the future of welding as it becomes perfected further since there’s a shortage of welders and the world automates what is otherwise a great career.
__________________
Adam Hebb
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:49 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.