Hybrid-weldingA Winning Synergy.SOLUTIONS with Effective, Practical Advice
(Sponsored Links) Most common, widely studied and applied is Laser enhanced Arc welding, where certain types of Laser sources are selected for their suitability to the purpose, while the arc process is generally Gas Metal Arc Welding, where a filler metal electrode, molten by an electric arc, is continuously fed into the weld. The original idea of coupling a laser beam with gas metal arc welding (GMAW) took several decades to mature in successful applications. The focal point of the laser beam impinging on the workpiece may not be exactly at the arc location, this being a quite critical parameter to test.
By now, the successfully integrated processes provide improved robustness, efficiency and quality of the Hybrid-welding process, making it a preferable high productivity process for suitable applications. Originally, solid state lasers were of limited power, only gas lasers (CO2) were capable of supplying acceptable power levels for welding. In recent years however continuous improvements in the available solid state lasers, and the possibility to convey the laser beam through optical fibers opened up and simplified robotic applications in addition to large scale mechanized installations. The main advantages of Hybrid-welding are:
The main limitation slowing down progress until sufficient experience is accumulated, is that every application must be approached as a development project with sufficient time and resources to study systematically how to establish the process parameters to obtain acceptable results. Although integrated off the shelf equipment can now be obtained from a short list of suppliers, the learning curve is still long and expensive, so that practically only large organizations capable of commanding the needed resources can enjoy the economy of scale in practical applications. Automotive, large-scale pipe operations and shipbuilding industries are among the few applying successfully Hybrid-welding in highly standardized daily production. A rich source of selected readings on Hybrid-welding is available in the Mid Month Bulletin of our Practical Welding Letter for September 2008. Click on PWL#061B to see it. It is quite probable that more and more applications will be developed for Hybrid-welding as productivity requirements grow and skilled workforce availability becomes an increasingly scarce resource. Any questions or comments or feedback? Write them down and send them to us by e-mail. Click on the Contact Us button in the NavBar at top left of every page.
To reach a Guide to the collection of the most important Articles from Past Issues of Practical Welding Letter, click on Welding Topics. Back Home Important AnnouncementFor assembling at no cost your own Encyclopedia Online,a rich collection of valuable information from expert Internet Sources, on Materials, Volume 1, and Metals Welding, Volume 2, is now available. Buy It Now! at Metals Knowledge.
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