Along with the increased use exotic materials in manufacturing comes the need for technologically advanced laser welding equipment produced by competent laser welding manufacturers. And while you can certainly purchase this type of equipment at reduced prices, you need to ask yourself if you’re getting the quality that’s necessary when laser welding exotic materials like titanium and magnesium.

Due the recent increase in manufacturing in China, specifically their expansion into industrial markets, there are now several companies that produce laser welding equipment. What used to be a very cost prohibitive purchase has been made much more affordable due to the easing of restrictions on trade with China. Whether these low prices are really a bargain remain to be seen though.

The vast majority of these laser welding manufacturers have a very limited track record, and finding any information about their reliability, or if they honor their warranties can be problematic at best. Buying equipment from manufacturers like this can be a lot like playing the lottery, so caution is of the utmost importance.

With that said, not all of the laser welding manufacturers there produce inferior equipment. It’s quite possible to purchase equipment that rivals or even surpasses that of the name brand manufacturers at a fraction of the cost.

The most important thing that you can do is research. If you’re considering a laser welding equipment that’s produced by a manufacturer you’re not familiar with, do your homework. Check with the manufacturer and see what professional organizations they belong to. Also make sure to check if they are ISO certified. While this may not tell you everything, it’s a very encouraging sign if they are.

Ask them for references. Normally, a company will keep a list of customers that can provide testimonials for them. Often, these customers will even allow you to visit and watch the welding equipment in operation. This is highly recommended, as you’ll not only be able to see one of the machines working firsthand, you’ll be able to speak with the operators and find out what they like and don’t like about their welding equipment, along with a wealth of valuable operating information that you’re not likely to find in a company brochure. Also make sure to ask the people that perform maintenance on these welders how they are to work on, and how well the company supports the machinery.

You’ll also need to ask them about their warranty and parts availability. Most equipment has at least some consumable parts that need changed as part of normal operating procedures. Find out the estimated yearly operation costs, and also check the prices on some of the more expensive replacement parts that you may need. Keep in mind that if the company that manufactures your laser welding equipment is half a world away, shipping in parts can get very expensive and also take a long time. This factor alone may make it a deal breaker, especially if you want to minimize potential downtime.

So as you can see from just this brief article, there’s a lot to think about when choosing a laser welding manufacturer. Just remember to do your due diligence, not get overwhelmed, and follow these steps:
Define your needs and requirements, then find different laser welding machines that will perform the required tasks. Research the individual companies to weed out the unknown ones with poor performance, or support. Find out the operational and maintenance costs of each machine. Talk with owners and operators of each of the different candidates.

If you follow those steps, you’re bound to make the best choice for your application.