Compared to classical TIG-welding, laser joining with round laser is three times as fast. The speed of the joining operation is restricted not by the power of the laser, but by the integrated annealing unit.
Additionally, all usual stainless steels can be welded correctly, regardless if they are austenitic or ferritic. However, most manufacturers prefer to use laser welding for ferritic chrome steels.
Ferritic steels like 1,4509, 1,4520 or 1,4521 are also said to be economical and technically feasible for making pipes with, because they are both cheap and have good corrosion resistance.
Laser’s inherent advantages shine when manufacturing stainless steel tubes out of these materials, because it can provide exact control of the inserted energy input per unit length.
Contact-free carbon dioxide (CO2) slab laser welding is also more reliable and has greater availability compared to TIG-welding with its frequently-replaced electrodes.
CO2 slab lasers can be combined with profile welding systems, which have gap recognition and sensor technologies. This can adjust the weld to minute meanderings of position and achieve optimal welding results in difficult conditions. Laser weld seams also tend to be more resilient compared to conventionally welded seams.
According to Rofin, its CO2 slab lasers are constructed to form an almost perfect beam quality. It claims its lasers are customer-oriented and require little maintenance.