| Laser Surface Engineering |
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Since 1988 Sulzer Innotec operates laser facilities for the development of laser applications in the field of material treatment. Today, LSE offers a wide range of laser welding services for customers in several different business areas ranging from medical technology, through mold production, to gas turbine components. Beside the conventional laser welding (joining without filler material), the main focus of activities is in the field of build-up welding technologies for the repair business. The good focusing ability of the laser allows power densities that are hardly possible with conventional thermal procedures. Thus, the desired component processing can be carried out on a limited area with low overall power – the component and the material are only subject to minimal thermal loading. Laser build-up welding is thereby particularly suitable for applications in tool and mold manufacturing, in which only minimum distortion can be tolerated, as well as for materials that are difficult to weld using conventional methods, for example, high-temperature resistant nickel-based alloys in gas turbines.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – Laser Metal Forming and Cladding |
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Laser metal forming i.e. build-up welding and laser cladding are related to the conventional TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and PTA (Plasma Transfer Arc) build-up welding processes. In place of the electric arc or the plasma, however, a laser is used as the heat source. The powdery build-up material is transported in an inert carrier gas, and is brought via a powder nozzle to the melt pool created by the laser.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – Keyhole Welding |
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In the keyhole welding process, the rapid removal of metal by vaporization leads to the formation of a small keyhole into the work piece. The effective coupling efficiency is increased and allows deep but small weld joints.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – Process Development |
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All features of laser welding, metal forming and cladding are the result of a correct appointment of the laser process parameters that depends on the materials used as well as on the part geometry that influences the heat flow within the parts and therefore the temperature gradients in the melting process. Together with our customers we develop laser applications and implement them on our own laser equipment.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – Research Activities |
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We participate in National and European research projects, to ensure access to state-of-the art technology in laser application for our customers.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – the CO2-Laser System |
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The CO2-Laser operates with gas as active laser medium and is still most frequently used in industrial applications. Due to its very good beam quality it is well suited for keyhole welding applications as well as laser metal forming i.e. build-up welding and laser cladding applications. Sulzer Innotec is doing business with its CO2-Laser system since 1988 assuring the state of technology by periodic refits.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – the new Fiber-Laser System |
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Sulzer Innotec operates a fiber laser with 1.5 kW output power as a new and innovative laser beam source. Due to its excellent beam quality it is well suited for keyhole welding applications as well as laser metal forming i.e. build-up welding and laser cladding applications. The small overall size and the high electrical efficiency of the fiber laser make mobile laser welding applications possible at the customers site.
The associated handling system is a special purpose machine designed by Sulzer Innotec with a maximum of flexibility regarding part geometry as well as part size. The multi-role design allows worldwide on-site operation in different configurations.
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| Laser Surface Engineering – the Nd:YAG-Laser-System |
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A pulsed Nd:YAG-Laser with 150 W average output power is available at Sulzer Innotec beside the CO2-Laser and the Fiber-Laser, both operating in the kilowatt range, The hand-operated Nd:YAG-Laser system is a senseful extension to the CNC-controlled large-scale equipment and makes on-site operation possible.
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