Vacuum Laser Welder – KTW Technology

KTW Vacuum Laser Welder

Modular system for laser welding in manufacturing and development

Welding quality without cost disadvantages

The combination of the advantages of welding under vacuum with the advantages of the laser beam as an energy source promises to meet the highest demands on the weld seam. The technical implementation alone involves the risk of high production and investment costs. Above all, the evacuation of the processing area necessary for vacuum welding places the highest demands on the system design in terms of energy supply and process efficiency.

The KTW vacuum laser welding system offers an innovative and unique solution. The modular concept allows the system design to be adapted in performance and economy to the specific requirements of the application. The separation of the laser source and the vacuum chamber increases the output per evacuation cycle and simultaneously minimises the required evacuation time. Capable handling technology enables parallel and sequential welding operations.

Quality in welding has a new name

Convincing laser technology

For all common metals, especially refractory and reactive metals as well as mixed material compounds
Laser (wavelength) selectable according to material properties (absorption behaviour)
At high vacuum of up to 10-5 bar, highest purity and freedom from pores in the weld seam-5 bar, highest purity and non-porosity in the weld seam
Weld seam strength close to material properties
High energy density enables high feed rate and short process time
Lowest heat-affected zone (pulsed laser), thus hardly any tendency to distortion, cracking, spattering
Significantly greater welding depths or lower laser power compared to welding in the atmosphere
Welding depths of 20mm (CW) and 1.5mm (pulse laser), depending on material and feed rate
No damage/mechanical stress on the workpieces, especially suitable for electronic components and sensors
Insensitive to magnetic and electromagnetic fields
High degree of automation, highest precision and repeatability, finest seam geometries

Advantages

Selectable, controlled welding atmosphere
Highest strength, purity
No cracks, pores, splashes
High precision and reproducibility
Flexible, modular plant design
Highest energy efficiency
Low investment and operating costs

Our Services

Welding systems for laboratory and production
Process validation
Test welds
Third party welding (small series)
Process ramp-up

High-quality products require high-performance, requirement-specific manufacturing technology. We will be happy to advise and support you in the design of your high-vacuum laser welding system.

Suitable for the following materials

All common metals, incl.
- Alloy steel, stainless steels, aluminium
- Reactive metals (zirconium, titanium, beryllium)
- refractory metals (tungsten, molybdenum,
tantalum, niobium
Mixed material compounds

Target applications/industries

Aerospace technology
Energy technology, renewable energies
Automotive industry
Engine, turbine construction
Medical technology
Electronics, sensors and measuring instruments
Defence technology

Convincing system technology

Welding and brazing applications under controlled atmosphere (e.g. vacuum, inert gas)
High vacuum up to 10 to the power of-5 mbar, short evacuation time due to scalable pump station
Flexible system design according to the requirements of process, workpiece, production
Efficient use due to multiple welding operations (parallel, sequential) per evacuation cycle
Uncomplicated single or multiple workpiece holders (e.g. magnetic holders)
Optical inline quality control or monitoring of the welding temperature possible
Insensitive to interfering influences (e.g. magnetic, electromagnetic field)
No generation of X-rays, no lead shielding required
No loss of performance due to alternating steam protection in the chamber
Long service life, maintenance-friendly design
Highest (overall) energy efficiency in vacuum welding
Low investment and operating costs compared to alternative welding processes (e.g. EB welding)
Flexible system design (one laser for several large chambers, easy changeover of the laser head)
Modular design allows spatial separation of laser, vacuum chamber, supply modules

Technical Specifications

Module: Vacuum Chamber

Laser protection class 1 welding system
Radial, 2D and 3D contour welding
Variable number of laser irradiation points (laser head adapter)
Vapour deposition protection for beam introduction (quartz glass)
Vacuum chamber selectable in stainless steel or aluminium
Chamber size variable in diameter and length
Diameter from 300 to 1,500 mm
Length from 500 to 2,000 mm
Material loading by fixed mount, slide-in or interchangeable carrier

Module: Pump station

- Pump station capacity defines evacuation time
- Pump capacity variable (according to chamber size, cycle time)
- Single- or multi-stage pump station (vacuum-dependent)
- All common types available
- Two-stage rotary vane pump or single-stage rotary vane pump (preliminary stage) with turbomolecular pumps (main stage)
- Vacuum adjustable in different levels up to 10 to the power of minus 5 mbar-5 mbar möglich
- Free-standing or mounted on vacuum chamber
- Vacuum reservoir or airlock optionally possible

Module: Laser source

Laser source can be selected according to requirements
Disc and fibre lasers from all common manufacturers can be used
Pulsed or continuous laser beam
Use of several laser heads possible (number of irradiation points)
Selection of the laser wavelength depending on the material
Beam guidance to the chamber by breakage-monitored fibre
Beam conditioning by lens optics (laser head)
Laser head exchange via laser head adapter
Process control via inline camera systems possible

Module: Workpiece handling

Mapping of the weld geometry via movement of the workpiece
1, 2 and 3-dimensional weld geometries possible
Manipulation of the workpiece position via 6 CNC axes (max.), XYZ table, rotary table, turret (servo motors optional)
Single or multiple product shots
Infinitely variable feed speeds
Targeted de-focusing via workpiece positioning
Component size and welding geometry define inv. chamber size
Sequential or parallel (multiple) welding operations

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