Yes, a laser welder often uses wire.
Laser Welding and Wire
Laser welding, a precision welding technique, uses a concentrated laser beam to melt and join materials. While the laser itself provides the primary energy source for the weld, it's common practice to use filler material in the form of wire to ensure complete and robust joints.
Why Laser Welders Use Wire
Here's why wire is often used in laser welding:
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Filling Voids: The laser welding process can vaporize a small amount of material, leaving a slight dip or void in the weld joint. To ensure a smooth, strong, and properly filled weld, laser welding wire is used to fill this dip. As stated in our reference, "The laser welding operator then fills in that dip with laser welding wire."
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Adjusting Alloy Composition: Wire allows operators to adjust the alloy composition of the weld joint. This is important when joining different metal types that require a specific alloy to ensure compatibility and joint strength.
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Improving Weld Properties: The wire can be selected to improve weld properties such as strength, corrosion resistance, or heat resistance.
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Controlling Weld Shape and Size: By adding filler material through wire feed, welders can precisely control the shape and size of the weld bead.
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Increasing Weld Volume: In some cases, more volume of weld is required than laser can create alone. By adding wire, more volume can be provided to fill a joint.
How Wire is Used in Laser Welding
The laser welding process involves feeding the welding wire into the weld pool simultaneously or immediately after the laser has melted the base material.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wire Type | Varies based on material being welded, including aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. |
| Wire Thickness | Chosen to fit the size of the weld and the desired fill rate |
| Wire Delivery System | A precision feeding system is used to provide controlled and smooth wire feed. |
Conclusion
Therefore, while the laser provides the heat to create the weld, the use of wire is very common to ensure a proper and robust joint.
