The laser welding advantages of speed, precision, accuracy, low thermal distortion, and versatility deliver significant environmental benefits too.
Laser welding offers businesses higher productivity than traditional methods and not just because it is faster and more precise. The entire process is designed to offer environmental benefits that contribute to sustainable manufacturing processes and hence, a greener future.
Energy Saving: Where environmental benefits are concerned, energy is an obvious starting point. Laser welding is inherently more energy efficient than traditional alternatives such as MIG and TIG.
MIG and TIG welding invariably require high energy inputs to generate the heat necessary for welding. In contrast, laser welding’s focussed laser beam requires significantly less power to achieve its precise and accurate welds.
less energy consumption means better for the planet along with lower costs.
Reduced Material Consumption: Traditional methods often require filler materials, generating more spatter and resulting in higher waste and greater material consumption. As a non-contact process, laser welding creates a minimum of material waste, contributing to resource efficiency.
Being more accurate and precise, it reduces the need for rework or additional processing which would require additional energy usage and material consumption.
Lower Emissions and Enhanced Air Quality: Traditional methods also involve the use of gases and fluxes that can release harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
In industries where air quality and worker health are significant concerns, it’s good to know that laser welding is a cleaner process producing far fewer emissions and pollutants.
Being highly versatile and adaptable to various materials and applications, laser welding allows manufacturers to optimise processes leading to more efficient production methods.
Conclusion: The laser welding advantages, such as reduced waste generation, enhanced efficiency, cleaner operation, and minimised emissions, make it a compelling choice for manufacturers. With many industries aiming to meet sustainability goals and accreditations and reduce their environmental impact, laser welding is a positive step forward in meeting these objectives.
TLM Laser offers high end welding solutions such as the IPG LightWELD for fabrication and AlphaLaser products for precision welding.