In recent years, such as handheld laser welding, handheld laser cleaning, handheld laser marking and other lightweight tools are gradually emerging. In particular, handheld laser welding machines have become rapidly popular since entering the Chinese market. At the 2019 Shanghai Industrial Fair, domestic manufacturers launched oscillating handheld laser welding machines for the first time, sweeping the entire welding market again with the momentum of the dark horse.With more than 50,000 units sold in China in 2022, and expected to break through 100,000 units of market sales this year, the major arc welding manufacturers have embraced handheld laser welding products.
November 7, 2023 - Miller Electric, the world's leading manufacturer of arc welding products, and IPG, a global leader in fiber laser technology, announced a strategic technology partnership designed to further promote laser solutions for handheld welding applications.
November 27, 2023 - China-listed company Shenzhen JasTech has launched a new 3-in-1 handheld laser product, which combines the three main functions of welding, cleaning and cutting in one.
Fiber laser as the core component, determines the handheld laser welding efficiency and performance. The handheld laser welding civilian, tooling characteristics also continue to drive the fiber laser miniaturization, lightweight trend. Today, I focus on talking to you about fiber laser miniaturization, lightweight technology core.
As we know, the pump source and resonant cavity (active fiber, grating) is the core component of the fiber laser, the performance of the laser plays a decisive role. The key to realize the miniaturization of fiber lasers is that the pump source must first be higher power, and smaller and lighter.
The popularity of domestic fiber lasers can be traced back to 2007, Wuhan Ruike Laser took the lead in promoting the localization of fiber laser research, and the following year in the country's first 25W pulsed fiber laser and 100W continuous fiber laser. At the same time, the domestic pump source technology has also entered the development of the fast lane. 2007, Keprin completed the development of high-performance chip packaging technology and practice, took the lead in launching the 10W pump source, breaking the monopoly of pump source of foreign manufacturers at that time, and promoting the rapid rise of domestic laser manufacturers.
In 2010, domestic enterprises have successfully developed a hundred-watt pump source, to achieve the power of progress. 2015, the domestic single-chip pump source technology breakthroughs, pump source power breakthroughs 200W, boosting the domestic kilowatt-class fiber laser in the laser cutting, welding and other areas of the application, but limited by the pump power and beam combining technology, at this time, the fiber laser is like an old-fashioned washing machine, transportation and installation Extremely inconvenient.
In 2020, the multi-chip coupling technology and polarization beam combining technology made a breakthrough, the power of the pump source was significantly improved, and the 660W pump source was successfully introduced to the market. During this period, Kipling walks in the forefront of the industry, its innovative polarization beam combining and dense arrangement theory applied to the pump source, which significantly improves the power density and integration of the fiber laser, and better support the whole laser towards the direction of high integration, miniaturization, intelligent development. 2021, Kipling once again to achieve the technological leadership, the introduction of kilowatt-class pump source for the market. At this time, the Lightning series based on CTC chip integration technology has taken shape, and the curtain of fiber laser miniaturization is about to open.
Integrated technology to promote fiber laser miniaturization
What is integrated technology? Its concept and wing tank integration, core chassis integration, is through the chip, heat sink structure, pump module and laser for integrated design, eliminating from the chip to the pump module and subsequent assembly links, effectively reducing the volume and weight of the pump source, to achieve a high degree of integration.
Through the integration of technology, pump power is higher, the whole machine optical path devices, the number of melting point and loss is greatly reduced, reliability and electro-optical efficiency is higher. Major pump source and laser manufacturers, despite the rich accumulation of technology in their respective fields, but the lack of holistic thinking, tandem problem-solving experience, part of the pump source pioneers to break through first, leading the pioneers to break new ground.
Fiber laser miniaturization in the contribution of pioneers
Thanks to the practice of integration technology, major domestic manufacturers began to conceive new design concepts to further reduce the size of the laser, increase the power, and promote the miniaturization of domestic fiber lasers.
In April 2022, Caplin, a leader in the field of pump sources, took the lead in realizing the miniaturization of fiber lasers and mass production applications. With its original CTC technology (Chip to Chassis), Caplin Lightning series fiber laser (500W-6000W) has led the way in miniaturization, and achieved subversive breakthroughs in product volume and weight. The third generation of Lightning series fiber lasers was launched in July 2023, which is further downsized in appearance and weight, and once again breaks the record of laser miniaturization.
As miniaturized lasers galloped into the handheld laser welding market, major manufacturers inspired innovations one after another. In September 2022, heat stimulation light also with unique technology in the laser miniaturization gave the answer - the launch of a small volume of single-module 12kW fiber laser FC12000. it is understood that this laser volume is only 0.096m3, weight less than 160kg.
In July 2023, Chuangxin Laser launched 20kW single-module fiber laser, and realized the light weight of 1500W-3000W laser, the volume is reduced by 64%-72% year-on-year, and the weight is reduced by more than 60%.
Jepoint also launched a new generation of 3000W small volume single module lasers in September 2023, with a volume reduction of 44% and weight reduction of 50% compared to the old laser products. The new design concept also allows the product to show remarkable performance.
After two years of leapfrog development, the domestic fiber laser has been on the road of miniaturization, and has constantly set a new record of miniaturization. This not only promotes the development of laser technology, but also provides users with more efficient, convenient and reliable laser solutions.
Outlook - the future of miniaturized lasers
The disruptive miniaturization of fiber lasers feeds back into the handheld laser welding market. Handheld laser welding, such as into the trunk of the handheld laser welding bathed in the luster of black technology, so that the traditional tig welding and welding shiver.
In the early years, argon arc welding is the most commonly used thin plate welding method of parents, but the shortcomings are also very obvious, welding threshold is high, low efficiency, follow-up grinding and profiling complex, especially the strong arc radiation generated by the operator's health is harmful. With the introduction of miniaturized fiber laser, handheld laser welding market also ushered in explosive growth, and now this market has taken shape.
Handheld laser welding annual sales exceeded 100,000 units, supporting its technical "core" is what?
In the field of industrial lasers, fiber laser miniaturization trend of the importance of undoubtedly, we also know that the progress of each technology, miniaturization is always a turning point in its progress, cell phones, computers, semiconductors are also so. I believe that miniaturization will also be the way forward for lasers, smaller size, higher integration, which means more portable, richer application scenarios, to bring greater benefits to end users.
May as well imagine, when Iron Man arm on the palm size of the high-energy laser after the introduction of the entire laser manufacturing industry and even the entire field of science and technology will bring what impact? Laser weapons, cutting machines, handheld welding machines and to what extent will evolve? Today's semiconductors, computers continue to evolve towards miniaturization, who dare to assert that the miniaturization of lasers, lightweight meaningless? Looking forward to the laser technology breakthroughs in many areas to bring dividends, the laser industry can look forward to the future!
