Miller Electric enters the world of hand-held laser welding

Miller Electric has entered the world of laser welding with its OptX 2-kW manual laser welding system, jointly developed with IPG Photonics. Miller Electric

Hand-held laser welding technology is not something that’s brand new in the metal fabricating community. IPG Photonics launched a manual laser welding unit in 2020, and overseas models have been available for just as long. Still, many metal fabricators haven’t had hands-on experience with the technology.

But they are becoming more familiar with hand-held laser welding because the industry is talking about it. They are learning that people pick up on it faster than other welding processes, with some suggesting that no welding experience might be the best for someone learning laser welding. They are finding out that laser welding can be five to 10 times faster than a process like gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). They are discovering that it can eliminate the need for pre- and postweld processing. Other metal fabricators are telling them how the process is good for working with thin-gauge metals because the energy density of the laser beam translates into minimal heat buildup when compared to a process like GTAW.

That’s why Miller Electric is introducing its OptX 2-kW hand-held laser welding machine, developed in collaboration with IPG Photonics. Miller Electric sees laser weldi*ng not as a simple alternative to conventional welding, but as a tool for companies to boost productivity while they simultaneously struggle to find welders.

“Our industry’s manufacturers and welders fabricate the products that we all rely on every day. They deserve cutting-edge technology and a trusted partner to get the job done,” said Dave Lambert, group president of sales and marketing for Miller Electric.

Miller Electric officials believe the company’s expertise in developing the OptX helped to deliver a tool that is quick to turn novice laser welders into proficient contributors in the welding department. One metal fabricating customer was quoted as saying that it saw laser welding beginners become proficient in a week, while GTAW rookies needed typically three to four weeks to reach a similar competency level.

The laser welding machine can be paired with a wire feeder to maximize joint strength. (In laser welding, good fit-up is an absolute requirement for the creation of good joints.) When it’s used with the wire feeder, the feeding action actually exerts a slight force on the laser torch, forcing it to move toward the welder. This action often can help someone with no welding experience get up and going with laser welding in a short amount of time.

In developing the OptX, Miller Electric has modified the laser welding beam’s penetration profile so that root capture is easier for the welder, and that helps form a foundation for a good-quality weld. Also, the torch has been designed to compensate for torch-to-workpiece angle inconsistencies, allowing for a consistent joint even as the torch moves between 30 degrees and 70 degrees.

With this release, Miller Electric also is looking to make the hand-held laser welding process as safe as possible. A laser beam generates an invisible infrared light that can inflict severe retina or cornea injuries that can lead to permanent eye damage. Because of this, the welder, as well as anyone else in the laser welding room, needs to have eye protection with an optical density rating of 7+ or greater. Conventional welding helmets offer the individual no protection from the laser’s 1,070-nm wavelength.

To protect welders and bystanders, the company has added several layers of safety:

Finally, in accordance with ANSI Standard Z136.1 and IEC Standard 60825-1, any company that seeks to incorporate the OptX into its manufacturing operations has to train and certify someone as a laser safety officer. That person is charged with ensuring that users of the laser welding equipment are trained properly and that the laser welding cell or room is safe for people nearby when the laser is in operation. For the OptX to be initialized, Miller Electric requires that the customer’s laser safety officer register the equipment.

Safety training is just one part of educating metal fabricators about hand-held laser welding. Operational training is another. To assist with that mission, Miller Electric has five laser product specialists—with trailers fabricated as mobile laser welding cells—who can bring the technology to interested parties. The company also will have 11 training centers in the U.S. with laser enclosures to demonstrate the equipment.