MoldMaking Technology

OCT 2017

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Mold Repair 20 MoldMaking Technology —— OCTOBER 2017 A Nd:Yag laser system is powered by multiple delicate consumables, including lamps, mirrors and an external cooling system. By Doug Niggemann and Dirk Haussmann Images courtesy of Alliance Laser Sales. L aser welding has truly impacted mold repair. In com- parison to traditional welding methods, it provides less heat distortion, less deposited weld material and more precision. This results in fewer refinishing areas, which reduces downtime, improves mold performance and increases profit- ability. Clearly, laser welding is no longer a flash in the pan but is here to stay. Whether it is time for you to purchase your first laser welding system or upgrade your current setup, it is important to understand the differences between various beam sources for laser welding. Over the past few years, a generation of beam source that is called full solid state (FSS) has been introduced to the mar- ketplace for mold repair. It uses laser diodes to pump a fiber. Pumping the fiber creates the laser beam source. This is like fiber laser systems. The difference is that unlike most fiber and Nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) Laser Focused Fiber laser technology is here, but is it the right solution for your operation? machines, which offer a continuous beam controlled by a Q-switch, or a shutter that opens to create a pulsed laser, an FSS laser provides quick bursts of high energy pulses. The effect of the pulses is similar to the effect of a strobe light. The pulses subject the mold to less direct heat, which allows the heat to dissipate in the off beats. The pulses also provide power that is concentrated as much as 10 times the amount of a standard 300-watt laser, resulting in a 3,000-watt pulse beam for a maximum of 10 milliseconds. As with all things, this technology comes at a considerable cost. So, the question becomes, which method is right for you? Both will get the job done. Each type of laser machine (even the smallest, most basic 50-watt Nd:YAG laser) has the ability to melt almost any material, so it boils down to each shop's individual needs. If you are with a smaller shop that has infre- quent needs, it may not make sense to make the investment in VIDEO Access video at end of article.

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