ABIBLOG USA: ABICOR BINZEL's Welding Blog

As material and fabrication technologies evolve, manufacturers are pushing the limits of the structures used in automotive, construction, offshore, energy production, and many other industries. All of these industries use welding in their day-to-day production tasks, and, because welds are used to join two or more metal surfaces, these connections may encounter loads and fatigue during product lifetime. There is always a chance these products may fail, if not created to proper specification.

Industry 4.0 is all about the ongoing transition into an even smarter, automated manufacturing world, using new developments in technology to get us there. Through the use of intelligent, automated technology, we are able to communicate more efficiently, collect data with advanced traceability, and create human-like interactions between machines and computers.

With the rise of laser welding, the importance of understanding this process is absolutely critical. Once you have the basics down, you can begin to consider what it would take to incorporate this type of welding equipment into your facility.

Like anything new, a great start to learning is determining the advantages and disadvantages that come along with whatever you’re dealing with; in this case laser equipment as it relates to welding.

Understanding the process of laser welding can be intense and somewhat confusing, especially if you are just getting acclimated to this welding application type. To get started, let’s first address how a laser works and why they may be useful in a welding setting.

Wire feeding in laser metal joining applications is all about precise wire positioning relative to a laser beam and accuracy in wire feeding speed. Wire feeding system layout and configuration are key parts in ensuring a successful application that makes the communication between user, integrator, and equipment manufacturers, at early project stages, highly important for a laser metal joining cell performance.

When it comes to weld inspection, this portion of your weld process is among the most crucial. With a majority of facilities using visual weld inspection methods to pass welds as good or bad, you encounter a major inconsistency issue and run the risk of missing bad welds.

Aluminum welding has become one of the most popular forms of welding in the industry today, with a special interest being in the automotive sector. Understanding how to successfully weld aluminum becomes the tricky part, as it is not the easiest material to work with. The process as a whole has its challenges, from preparation and correct welding techniques to specific equipment that should be used to help your operation run smoothly.

For this reason, aluminum requires specific consumables to ensure your welding jobs are completed with minimal issues and ease. In this blog, we will break down the necessary consumables needed to properly weld aluminum.

Those experienced in push-pull welding understand the challenges that can arise when using this type of equipment. When it comes to ensuring consistent and problem-free wire feeding, you can frequently experience issues or limitations - some being tied specifically to your push-pull welding gun.

As aluminum welding remains a rising force in the industry, continuing to test and understand the problems that come along with it is essential. With all the advantages that aluminum brings, there are also some aspects of this material that makes it tricky to weld with. For starters, aluminum is very soft, leading to many of the issues we will discuss.

There is no question that aluminum has special characteristics that require it be welded different than other metals. Aluminum is a very soft metal, with a high melting point that requires high voltages. Distorting aluminum is easy and can happen pretty quickly, as the wire will start oxidizing almost immediately, leading to a host of issues. Spool guns were designed to help feed difficult wire in an effort to avoid messy welding by placing the feeder right on the gun. Reliable wire feeding is among the most important parts of welding.