The PowerLine FL laser subsystem with Coherent's precision microwelding package, know-how and technical support are the easy way to successful projects
There is a growing demand for precision metal micro-welding in many industries. Micro-welding generally involves a weld depth of approximately 
1 mm (0.04") or less. This is mainly due to the dynamic requirements of the welding process, including increased welding speed, the use of a variety of materials and ease of integration into the production line. Typical examples of micro-welding can be found in automotive battery assembly when welding between pins, thin welds in consumer electronics, or in the manufacture of surgical instruments and medical devices. Although lasers are often the manufacturing tool of first choice for these tasks, new manufacturing requirements go beyond the laser process itself to include automation, vision, process monitoring, data acquisition and single, complex control software.
Application preparation
It all starts with the application - our application labs define the necessary configuration and equipment for the application and production requirements based on testing. We then supply the equipment itself, usually in the form of a subsystem, which greatly facilitates the system integrators' integration into the production line and reduces the time required for start-up. Operator and maintenance training can also be included to ensure a smooth handover of the entire line to the end customer.
Beyond welding
In addition to the actual testing of the welding process in the laboratory, there are also the requirements of production, specifically the location of weld joints, weld path tolerances and part facing tolerances. These often require the use of machine vision that can provide G/NG prior to welding while making the necessary motion corrections for these deviations on the fly. Key requirements for the welding subsystem are simple programming, easy integration and support for process data from manufacturers migrating towards Industry 4.0.
See the difference
To achieve high yields and quality in precision welding, it is essential to identify part location, variations in part placement. Our machine vision package has built-in libraries that work with standard illumination sources, making it easy to implement part recognition based on part geometry and illumination. The vision package is fully integrated into the control software for easy setup, allowing confirmation of part location for each individual weld on each part.
Intelligent laser and process monitoring
The only way to be 100% sure a weld is OK is to disassemble it and measure its mechanical strength and section integrity. Of course, this approach is not feasible in practice. The goal is therefore automated non-destructive monitoring that provides a reliable assessment of weld quality. Our solution that provides the data for this assessment is Coherent SmartSense+.
This is an in-line process weld monitoring system that uses AI-based algorithms to provide information about G/NG and what the defect may be, if any. The SmartSense+ process monitoring method uses proprietary technology developed for welding applications that integrates seamlessly with Laser FrameWork control software, providing data storage and access capabilities including transfer to local databases.
The complete package
The added value of PowerLine FL or any other Coherent welding solution, however, is that you don't have to worry about any of these considerations. Coherent's application labs and our product engineers have the resources and expertise to design and verify the complete process for you, as well as define the equipment that will get the job done. As well, they will highlight potential process window risks and other options to eliminate them. Finally, our vertical integration means that you get a complete solution from one supplier, eliminating any "finger pointing" if problems arise in production. The result isn't just a successful process - it's also peace of mind.
Learn more about the PowerLine FLsystem and other Coherent laser welding systems.
Source: Coherent.com
