Article content provided by IPG Photonics.
Little is ever simple in the world of fabrication, particularly in the HVAC industry. A wide variety of architectural constraints and custom requirements often increase the complexity of planning and executing each job. On top of that, significant efforts must be made to coordinate architects, builders, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians – otherwise, unexpected challenges can result in delays and additional costs. It is no surprise that fabricators are increasingly turning to solutions that provide the flexibility, and consistency, to handle the demands of the HVAC industry.
Handheld laser welding has emerged as one such technology that has experienced widespread adoption across industries like HVAC, aerospace, automotive, and beyond. Handheld laser welding solutions like LightWELD deliver intense heat to the target material in the form of a highly focused beam of light, offering welders a number of compelling benefits. Besides enabling faster welding speeds (up to 4X faster than TIG), lasers concentrate their heat in a relatively narrow area that dramatically reduces negative heat effects like distortion. This makes laser welding particularly useful for thinner materials, opening up new fabrication possibilities and reducing the need for fasteners.
Laser welding also has the flexibility to handle a range of materials including otherwise difficult to weld metals like aluminum and copper, which is particularly useful for HVAC welding. Laser welding is also a common solution for welding galvanized steel, as the highly focused energy causes no damage to the zinc outside of the weld pool. Achieving good welds in different materials requires laser parameters to be adjusted but laser expertise is not necessary – LightWELD comes with pre-set welding parameters for a range of materials and thicknesses that make it easy to use right out of the box. Laser welding, like any type of welding, does require some experience to truly master, but a lower barrier to entry means that both novice and veteran welders can start producing high-quality welds faster.
Ultimately, flexibility means little without quality and consistency. Fortunately, handheld laser welding can create remarkably high-quality welds that are both strong and aesthetically pleasing. While laser welding creates narrower weld seams by default, integrated single or dual wire feeding systems are useful when customers expect to see larger weld fillets. Systems like LightWELD also offer pre-weld and post-weld cleaning functionality that keep laser welds free of contamination and reduce the need for slower post-weld processes like grinding or applying pickling paste.
For shops that take on HVAC welding jobs, handheld laser welding is a proven technology that helps projects get done on time and makes it easier to handle a variety of custom requirements. Fortunately for shop owners, getting started with handheld laser welding is easy.
Learn more about LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning.
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IPG Photonics is the inventor and world’s leading producer of high-power fiber lasers, which enable greater precision, higher speed processing, more flexible production methods and enhanced productivity. IPG Photonics offers products ranging from fiber laser sources to turnkey laser processing systems and their products and process technology can be found in numerous applications and industries across the globe, including commercial HVAC and sheet metal fabrication.
