Alabama Laser in conjunction with Sandia
National Laboratories has developed a new
precision micro wire feeder for use with
laser welding systems. The unit allows small
diameter filler wire to be added to a weld
during a laser welding operation.
Previous wire feeders have only been able to
accommodate wire with large diameters, but
Alabama Laser's Precision Micro Wire Feeder
is capable of feeding wire with thicknesses
anywhere between .005" and .020". The user
inputs variables into the unit's controller
such as laser feed rate, weld length, and
wire-to-weld ratio, and the controller then
automatically calculates the feed rate and
length of the wire. The controller can
handle up to 16 inputs and 9 outputs.
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The compact design of this wire feeder (4 3/4" height, 3 3/4" width, 2"
depth) allows it to be used in a variety of configurations. The unit can
introduce wire to the weld at a rate between 5 and 1,600 inches/minute. The
wire feeder comes with an adjustable precision guiding system to inject the
wire precisely into the weld pool or coupled directly to the beam. Two 1/2"
travel stages guide a hypodermic needle for pinpoint delivery of the wire.
To ensure the smooth output of the
continuously fed filler wire, the unit has an option to delay wire feed for
a fraction of a second when the weld begins and stop a fraction of a second
before the beam shuts off.
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Applications
Although laser welding is usually performed autogenuously, the use of filler
wire allows a broader range of welding applications. The wire feeder can be used
in applications where it is imperative to keep heat input low, such as with thin
components, in precision applications, near heat-sensitive components/materials,
or when distortion must be avoided.
Filler wire can be used to bridge gaps in weld joints, especially to fill in
large gaps where acceptable results could not be obtained using autogenous laser
welding. The addition of filler wire can also be beneficial to adjust the
chemical composition of welds between dissimilar metals so that defects such as
hot cracking are less likely to occur. Likewise, multipass welding of thick
sections with preliminary groove preparation can be accomplished.
Forming overlays is another unique feature of this welding process. Whether by
placing weld beads side by side or on top of one another, an overlay can be
formed to buildup worn surfaces or to apply wear-resistant surfaces. This
cladding technique also allows rapid prototyping of parts which are formed out
of the wire filler itself instead of being machined from a piece of metal.
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The control panel fits on the lid of the panel. |
All other
components, including the
wire feeder head, conveniently fit
within the enclosure. |
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The unit
is adaptable to other welding processes, especially high energy density
processes, such as electron beam welding, micro-plasma arc welding, and
precision gas tungsten arc welding. Configured differently, the wire feeder
can also be used separate from the laser for feeding precise lengths of wire
(resistor wire, bridge wire, etc.).
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Features
- Compact
- Rugged
- For hard or soft wires
- For small wires sizes - 5 to 20 mils
- Precise feed rates - 5 to 1600 ipm
- Universal positioning
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Wire feeder (right, center) adds filler material during
Nd:YAG laser weld |
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Milestones
- Successful joining of 52100 to 4140 carbon steel
using Inconel® filler and in some cases C1008 filler for dilution.
- Welding AL6061 to AL6061 in electrical housing
assemblies by introducing an AL4043 filler material.
- Repairing edges on hardened dies (or
hardfacing).
- Repairing worn or out-of-spec o-ring grooves by
adding material to bottom of groove.
- Laser welding 904L stainless steel using
compatible filler material.
Inconel® is a registered trademark of Inco.
U.S. Patent # 5,137,223 |
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Alabama
Laser Systems
A Division of Alabama Specialty Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 55
55 Laser Blvd.
Munford, AL 36268
Phone:
(256) 358-9055
Fax: (256) 358-4515
E-mail: als@alspi.com
Return to Alabama Laser homepage
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