Mülheim-Kärlich, Germany—Today the beam from diode lasers, delivered via a 1mm diameter fiber, can produce up to 2 kW of power at the work piece. With a 1.5mm diameter fiber, up to 4 kW power delivery is possible. And with Dioscan, a combination of the 500W diode laser and a beam-scanning unit, complex parts can be laser processed without moving the laser head. These are some of the advances being promoted by Laserline GmbH, a leading supplier of high-power diode laser solutions for manufacturing problems. This company has developed the TwinSpot concept, using two laser heads that focus up to 3 kW power in each spot for applications such as laser hardening.
With power to 4 kW and better beam quality, Laserline's diode lasers are keyhole welding 2-mm-thick metals with a seam width of 0.8 mm at a feed rate of 2.5 mm/min. Combined with the diode laser's compactness and high-efficiency (30 percent), long lifetimes and low maintenance costs, it's easy to see why industries such as automotive are interested in these new products for welding applications.
Using Dioscan, it is possible to weld plastic material with almost any weld seam contour. Fast processing speeds are achieved with 500W output, without any movement of the laser head. This works well in a Quasi Simultaneous Welding format where the complete seam is heated simultaneously by the high-speed repetition rate of the scanner. The working area of Dioscan is 220 mm × 220 mm.
For more information on the company check out its Website www.laserline.de. To learn more about high-power diode applications contact Andre Eltze at andre.eltze@ laserline.de.