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LightWELD

Revolutionizing the Welding Industry

Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning Systems

Easy to Learn & Operate • Simple & Fast to Set Up • Consistent High-Quality Results
Overview
Overview Capabilities Specifications Support FAQ

LightWELD Material & Thickness Welding Range

Thick, thin, reflective and dissimilar metal welding without wire that
is difficult or impossible with traditional methods, plus weld materials with different electrical conductivity

laser weld steel, aluminum, and copper

  • High-speed welding across a wide range of materials and thicknesses
  • Low heat input for minimal part distortion or deformation
  • Built-in factory presets for all materials and thicknesses
Material
LightWELD XR
LightWELD 1500
LightWELD XC

Stainless Steel

up to 6.35 mm

up to 4 mm

Galvanized Steel

up to 6.35 mm

up to 4 mm

Mild Steel

up to 6.35 mm

up to 4 mm

Aluminum
3 & 5 Series

up to 6.35 mm

up to 4 mm

Aluminum
6 Series

up to 3 mm

—

Nickel Alloys

up to 5 mm

—

Titanium

up to 5 mm

—

Copper

up to 2 mm

—

LightWELD Pre-Weld Cleaning

LightWELD XC and LightWELD XR provide pre-weld cleaning for stronger, higher-quality welds

  • Any contaminants can enter the weld pool and compromise weld integrity
  • Pulsed cleaning power up to 2500 W peak power evaporates undesired surface elements
  • Fast and effective removal of contaminants such as oxides, rust, paint, oil, or grease from surface without the use of chemicals or abrasives
  • Up to 15 mm of adjustable cleaning width with one pass

LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning System being used as a handheld laser cleaner

LightWELD Post-Weld Cleaning

LightWELD XC and LightWELD XR provide post-weld cleaning improves visual finishes

  • Post-weld cleaning removes soot, debris, or any sign of localized heating
  • Dramatically reduces time, cost and scrap
  • Create visually appealing welds while eliminating need for post-grinding
  • Up to 15 mm of adjustable cleaning width in one pass
 

LightWELD offers Welding & Cleaning in a Single System

LightWELD XC and LightWELD XR can switch from welding to cleaning in just seconds

  • Specially designed welding and cleaning nozzle tips for any joint configuration
  • Increased productivity using single system for multiple fabrication processes
  • Simply loosen the collet and insert a welding or cleaning nozzle, select the appropriate mode and the system is ready to clean or weld

"The travel speed and diversity of materials

that can be welded is unbelievable"

Built-in Wobble Welding for Increased Productivity

  • Simple on-the-fly control of up to 5 mm of additional weld width with selectable frequencies

  • Creates highly aesthetic seams and welding of parts with poor fit-up

  • Wobble parameters are preprogrammed and can be saved by the operator and recalled immediately as needed
  • In cleaning mode, the wobble function provides adjustable cleaning scan widths up to 15 mm 

Optional Wire Feeding Package

  • Wire welding capability extends laser welding applications to poorly fit-up parts
  • Used for low carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and non-ferrous metals and alloys
  • Wire feed speed range 40 – 600 cm/min (15 - 230 ipm)
  • Wire diameter capacity 0.8 to 1.6 mm ( 0.035''- 0.063'') 
  • Wire feed tips: 0.8mm, 0.9mm, 1.2mm, 1.6mm
  • 2x V-rollers and steel liners for hard wire , 2x U-rollers and Teflon liners for soft wire
  • Package includes wire feed unit, electrical connections, nozzle assembly and IPG Process Mode software

LightWELD Laser Welding & Cleaning Systems

Easy to Learn

Built-in factory presets for welding and cleaning reduce learning curves, new welders can be trained within hour and experienced welders realize an immediate increase to productivity

 

Highly Productive

High-speed welding that is 4X faster than TIG, with simple material preparation and minimal post-finishing, plus wobble welding and wire feed options for consistent high-quality results

 

Highly Capable

Easily weld and clean thick, thin and reflective metals with low heat input from < .040" (1.0mm) up to 1/4" (6.35mm) with minimal part distortion, improved visual appearance and increased overall part quality

LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning Systems can be used as a laser welder and handheld laser cleaner

 

 LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding System

LightWELD

Handheld Laser Welding
 

 LightWELD XC Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning System

LightWELD XC

Handheld Laser Welding & Cleaning

 LightWELD Extended Range Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning System

LightWELD XR

Extended Range Handheld Laser Welding & Cleaning

Laser Type (Welding mode)

Air-Cooled Ytterbium Continuous Wave 1070 nm Fiber Laser

Laser Output
(Welding mode)

1500 W Average Power, with 2500 W Peak Power

Class 1 Red Guide Beam

Laser Output
(Cleaning mode)

—

2500 W Peak Power
Pulse frequency up to 50 kHz
Pulse duty cycle up to 20%

 

Umbilical Cable

Utilities Bundle from Base Unit to Head including: Fiber Laser Delivery, Process Gas, Process Head Control Signals and Safety Interlock Circuits - Length: 5 m (16 ft) optional 10 m (32 ft) 

Cooling

Air Cooled – No External Chiller Required

 

Weld Head

Handheld Wobble Welding Head

Collimating Length 40 mm, Focus Length 120; Spot size 150 μm

Incorporating Safety Control Sensors and Laser-on Indicator

User-changeable nozzles for planar, internal corner, and external corner welds

Handheld Wobble Welding Head

Collimating Length 50 mm, Focus Length 120; Spot size 60 μm

Incorporating Safety Control Sensors and Laser-on Indicator

User-changeable nozzles for planar, internal corner, and external corner welds

 

Weld Head Cleaning Nozzles

—

Set of three nozzles for wide-angle scanning

Spot Size

150 μm

60 μm 

Wobble Length

Adjustable up to 5 mm

Cleaning Scan Length

—

Adjustable up to 15 mm

Process Gas

Argon,  Nitrogen, Argon + CO2 mix
For LHW-1500-5 Meter: Working Pressure 69-138 kPa, (10-20 psi)
For LHW-1500-10 Meter: Working Pressure 103-207 kPa, (15-30 psi)

 

User Interface

Front Panel Controls of Laser Power, Mode, Wobble Length and Wobble Frequency: (Rotary knobs with digital display). Laser On/Off key Switch, E-Stop Button. - Status Indicator Lights

Computer Connection

Ethernet Connection to Web Page Interface Allowing Viewing/Adjustment of Process Mode Settings and System Status and Alarm Signal

 

Safety

Class 4 Laser Device. Customer responsible for standard ANSI Z136.1 safety precautions.

System features include key for laser ON/Off, 2-step laser operation trigger (Enable and Fire), Part-head contact safety circuit, Facility door interlock circuit

Operating Environment

Storage temperature -20 to 60 °C. Operating range +5 to 35 °C

Ease of Aluminum Weld

Moderate

Easy

Single-Side, Single Pass Material Weld Capability

Stainless steel, mild steel, galvanized steel, aluminum up to 4 mm

Stainless steel, mild steel, galvanized steel, aluminum up to 6.35 mm, copper up to 2 mm

Facilities Requirements

Electrical: 220 V, 1 Ph, 50/60 Hz, < 30 Amp 

Weld Base Unit (W x D x H)

316 x 641 x 534 mm (12.4 x 25.2 x 21 in)

Weld Module Weight

53 kg,  (118 lbs)

Accessories

Safety Glasses,  Power Connecting Plug, Ethernet Cable

LightWELD Support and Service

Contact our dedicated LightWELD support team by phone, email or the form on this page to:

  • Answer your questions
  • Request service
  • Order spare parts

Phone: +1 508.506.2877

Email: LightWELD@IPGPhotonics.com

 

Visit the LightWELD online support site to access:

  • User Manuals
  • Welding Mode Charts
  • Support Videos
  • Spare Parts Portal

Access Support Site

 

LightWELD Sales

Contact Sales:

Contact support

LightWELD Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

 

Is LightWELD really faster than MIG and TIG welding?

Yes, LightWELD travel speed is up to four times faster than traditional methods, fixturing is simpler or not necessary, and post-weld grinding or sanding is not needed or significantly reduced – all of which increases productivity while minimizing rework.

 

Is LightWELD really that easy to learn?

Yes, compared with MIG and TIG welding, either of which can take a lifetime to master, LightWELD is quick to learn, allowing new users to make high-quality welds in just a few hours.

 

The controls look confusing. How do I know what to adjust?

LightWELD comes preloaded with optimized welding parameters for the most common materials and thicknesses. You can adjust the power up or down to match your travel speed and desired penetration, and you can save those settings and recall them as needed.

 

Can LightWELD weld dissimilar metals or parts with different thicknesses?

Yes, you can easily weld dissimilar metals like copper to stainless steel or to aluminum, plus parts with different thicknesses across all weld joint types: tee, butt, corner, lap and edge.

 

What is the maximum material thickness that can be welded?

For stainless steel, galvanized steel, mild steel and aluminum, you can weld single-sided up to 4 mm and double-sided up to 10 mm – copper single-sided up to 1 mm and double-sided up to 2 mm.

 

What about vertical welding or upside down welding?

LightWELD excels at both vertical and upside down welding since there are normally no consumables and minimal spatter produced, making it safe and easy to weld in any position.

 

Is the laser beam constant or can it be pulsed?

LightWELD offers five modes of operation to match your needs:

  • Continuous wave - the laser is on constantly for maximum penetration and travel speed
  • Pulsed mode – laser pulses producing less energy for slower welding with less heat input
  • Tack mode – to create identical tack welds
  • Stitch mode – used for repeated tacking or overlap welds
  • High peak power mode – short bursts of high power used to penetrate reflective metals

 

What is the duty cycle?

You can run LightWELD at 100% duty cycle at the maximum 1500 watts of laser power.

 

What’s wobble welding?

Wobble welding oscillates the beam back-and-forth at various frequencies to produces wider seams and more aesthetic welds. It is also helpful for parts with poor fit-up.  LightWELD comes with optimized, preprogrammed wobble parameters and allows on-the-fly control of up to 5 mm of wobble welding at adjustable frequencies up to 300 Hz.

 

Is there a datasheet?

Yes, you can download the LightWELD 1500 datasheet here.

 

Where can I see a demonstration of LightWELD?

You can sign up to register for a live demo here.

 

How do I buy LightWELD?

Click here to fill out a contact form and a LightWELD specialist will get back to you asap.  If you would like to speak with someone now, please call (508) 506.2877

With the LIGHTWELD COBOT Fabrication Toolkit, which integrates low-cost commercial collaborative robots for repetitive welding tasks, the LightWELD system can be used in either manual or automated manufacturing modes to improve productivity. Through intuitive and easy to use drag and drop programing combined with manually guided waypoint programming, COBOT integration is an ideal solution for lower volume, high product mix applications.  

 

Productivity can be increased, as LightWELD offers the convenience of being easily converted between manual and COBOT operation, particularly for more complex projects not practical for the latter. Additionally, it is programmed with ease for new projects and features fast change over for existing ones. To reduce costs and optimize workforce for better utilization, employees can be upskilled to undertake more productive tasks and critical projects. The use of LightWELD also leads to improved product quality and consistency by eliminating rework and scrap due to COBOT control of laser settings. Furthermore, the robot runs at programmed speeds, ensuring a more uniform weld. 

An experienced integrator will be able to provide advice on which applications are well suited for COBOT integration and which require more advanced laser and robotic technology, such as high-volume production applications.  

The COBOT integration toolkit provides the following features: 


COBOT Command Software Interface 
  • Manufacturer-specific application installs on robot controller. 
  • Allows COBOT to select LightWELD process parameters. 
Mounting Cradle  
  • Tool-less mounting systems allow for easy switch between manual and COBOT welding. 
  • Two illuminated smart buttons enable free-drive mode and programming of waypoints. 
  • Robot tool center point training tip insert. 
COBOT Cable Management System 

Remote Interface Box 
  • Allows COBOT controller to remotely control laser emission. 
  • Provides feedback to robot when LightWELD is in “COBOT control” mode. 
Documentation 

Benefits

The LightWELD COBOT Fabrication Toolkit provides several benefits that make it and ideal complement for LightWELD systems.  

Practicality 

Easy removal of LightWELD for hand held laser welding when COBOT use is not practical.

Better Weld Quality 

The angle of the weld tip is precisely controlled for optimum weld melt pool formation, resulting in a superior weld.

Increased Flexibility 

Automatic selection of laser parameters increases flexibility and utilization of the LightWELD unit. COBOT capability to control weld parameters enables separate process recipe for the spot weld compared to the seam weld. No need for the operator to change parameters.

Scrap Reduction 

Elimination of human inconsistency ensures better production yield. For thinner materials, risk of burn through may be eliminated. The COBOT starts and stops at the same position every time, reducing rework.

Better Part to Part Consistency 

The highly repeatable motion profile and capability to set the contact force of the COBOT ensures that the tip stays right on the centerline of the joint during welding.

Immediate Productivity 

COBOTs are quick and easy to setup.

Frequently Asked Questions 

 

What are good applications for COBOT integration? 

Low volume high product mix applications that can be welded by hand.  

 

What are the fixturing requirements? 

Repeatable fixturing and part fit up are required to hold the workpiece in correct location for welding. 

 

What COBOTs are supported?

Fanuc and Universal Robots are currently supported. 

 

Does IPG provide COBOT integration services? 

No, IPG does not provide COBOT integration services. Integration of the COBOT is solely the responsibility of the system integrator. 

 

How are robot positions programmed? 

A smart button interface enables programing COBOT positions using free drive mode.  

 

Can I use multiple weld parameters on a project? 

Your welder will be interfaced with the COBOT control unit, this allows the COBOT to trigger the laser and set weld parameters. 

 

Does COBOT replace traditional robotic welding technology? 

No, it does not. Traditional robotic welding systems often feature process and equipment monitoring technology and operate at higher speeds and precision. An experienced integrator will be able to provide guidance on applications suitable for COBOTs. 

 

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