When we talk about high power density welding processes, there are two types that are that come to mind — laser beam welding, and electron beam welding. Of the two electron beam welding was the first high power density welding system to be utilized in a manufacturing environment.

The basic idea behind electron beam welding is to use a high voltage to produce a narrow beam of electrons and then focus that beam onto a small spot on the piece of metal that you are welding. When it was first introduced, electron beam welding required huge vacuum chambers and extensive lead shielding due to the x-rays were produced when welding with this method.

Over the years the technology has been refined, and the need for a huge self-contained vacuum chamber has been eliminated. Now electron beam welding is often used for production welds. The vacuum chambers are much smaller and matched to the size of the parts being welded.

With the introduction of a laser beam welding, many welding operations that used to be done by electron beam welding are now being done with lasers. Electron beam welding still has its place though, being used in any operation that requires very tight tolerances or complete penetration without contamination.

Now, laser beam welding is often the process that’s chosen due to its extreme versatility and often lower costs. If there is a need to weld very thin materials, the pulsed neodymium : yttrium aluminum garnet laser – (Nd:YAG), is often the perfect solution. This pulsed laser welding system is perfect for thin materials or any weld that requires low penetration. If the metal or parts to be welded require a deep penetrating high-power weld, the CO2 laser will often be used.

So while both high-density power while in processes have their place, whether it’s pulsed neodymium : yttrium aluminum garnet laser – (Nd:YAG), or a continuous high-powered CO2 laser, laser beam welding has carved out a niche for itself in the production and manufacturing environment due in no small part to the extreme versatility of the laser welding process. And with recent advances in disk and fiber laser welding processes, the future of laser welding is bright indeed.