Tyne and Wear, UK – Automation specialist Orwin has integrated a JK Laser Nd:YAG laser into its new semi-automated laser weld cell that has been developed to weld pressure safety valves between 0.5 and 5 inches in diameter.
The laser welding machine has been fitted with two 6-axis Fanuc robots. The first loads and stacks the components in the welding nest, while the second is fitted with the laser processing head to weld in vertical and horizontal planes on the valves.
The JK600HP laser, developed by JK Lasers, Rugby, UK, has been designed specifically for precision applications that require tightly controlled heat input at high process speeds. It is able to produce highly accurate hermetic welds, ensuring that the valve remains stable even as pressure increases.
The component nest is comprised of the JK process tool mounted to a servo-driven 360 degree rotary axis, enabling the laser to produce the orbital weld required. Two nests are included in the machine; both can be used for manually loaded components, and one of these can also be used for automatically loaded parts.
An additional advantage of the machine is the robot’s integrated vision system, which automatically positions the laser head above the join line of the components to be welded.
Both the vision system and the specification of the component nests, combined with the rapid processing speeds provided by the laser, result in increased efficiency, yield, and throughput for the end user.