Handheld laser welding

Handheld laser welding is a relatively new welding technique that is mainly used to weld thin-walled materials quickly, efficiently, and accurately.

The amount of heat introduced is minimal compared to traditional arc welding processes such as TIG and MIG/MAG. This makes handheld laser welding particularly suitable for joining thin sheet metal. The material hardly distorts and cools quickly after welding.

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Handheld laser weld on an inside corner — Unfinished weld on an inside corner

Operating principle

The handheld laser welding process uses laser light from a fiber laser. The laser beam is then aimed and focused on the metal surface with a welding torch, where the material is fused together. This creates a strong, accurate, and even weld. Optionally, filler material can also be added to the weld pool through the torch.

The handheld laser welding machine has a function that gives the laser beam a so-called “wobble” pattern. The laser beam is moved over the workpiece in circles at high speed (also called stirring). As a result, the laser beam covers a larger area, and extreme CNC precision is not needed to aim the small spot size of the laser beam. Another additional function of the handheld laser welding machine is cleaning the weld with laser light.

Close-up of a weld — An unfinished handheld laser weld, next to an unfinished TIG weld

Advantages

Minimal distortion: Because there is much less heat input, there is little to no distortion of the material.
Very suitable for thin sheet: Because of the minimal heat input, the material melts away less easily than with arc welding processes.
No or limited finishing: The smooth welded seam requires no or minimal finishing.
Flatness retained: Because of the low heat input, thin sheet metal distorts much less. Straightening the material after welding is no longer needed or is much quicker.
Clean result: No weld spatter and little discoloration.
Suitable for different materials: Handheld laser welding can be used with various metals, including steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass.
High accuracy: The precision of the weld is very high, and the operator can control the welding process well.
Speed: High welding speed compared to TIG welding.
Strong bond: Deep penetration is possible.
Cleaning: The handheld laser welding machine can also be used to clean the weld.
Efficient: Energy-efficient compared to MIG/MAG and TIG.