If you want to connect two metal elements together, you need to weld them. In order to do that, you can choose one of a few methods of welding, however you need to bear in mind that, each of them has its assets and drawbacks. One of the ways to bring the most of each method is Hybrid Laser Arc Welding – what are its features and when it is worth-considering?
What is Hybrid Laser Arc Welding, HLAW?
Hybrid Laser Arc Welding is a type of Arc Welding with coated electrode, that includes two heating sources – laser beam and an electrode wire. Due to using this method of connecting structural elements, we can increase the durability of the welding.
The features of Hybrid Laser Arc Welding
All welding methods – laser, MIG/MAG, WIG – apart from a long list of advantages, also have few disadvantages, that are permanent, meaning that you can not remove them. Therefore, to make sure that welding technologies can constantly develop, hybrid laser arc welding has been patented, which combines laser method with GMA (Gas Metal ARC) method, which allows to derive benefits from both methods. As a result, the features of hybrid laser arc welding are a combination of the the biggest advantages of laser welding and the method that uses the coated electrode. The beam of the laser enables making deep penetrations by using low energy input, whereas using the electrode makes filling the cracks easier, as a result of melting the material. One of the most basic features of this method is getting a high level of elasticity of the given connection, what in turn helps to get an outcome, that if using other methods of welding, would require multi-layered welding done by arc welding.
The advantages of hybrid laser arc welding
The features of hybrid laser arc welding are used especially in shipbuilding industry and bodywork industry, while joining big boards of sheet metal. Using this technique minimises the risk of deformations and welding strains, which in turn, impacts the durability of the whole construction. The lower pace of cooling the welding surface lowers the level of welds’ rigidity. It is also possible to reduce the amount of stitches, necessary for creating this joint. Another plus side of using hybrid laser arc welding is that it has a wide range of applications, as you can join multifarious materials – starting from steel to nickel or chrome alloys. Moreover, this method is cheap and fast.
Hybrid laser arc welding combines the assets of the laser welding and the GMA method, therefore, it is an effective way of joining materials. Moreover, it is also universal, as you can apply it in many areas of industry.
