Lasers and robotics are both used by manufacturers for their speed and precision. It’s natural that these two technologies frequently work hand in hand in production lines to perform laser welding.
Emerging applications like EV batteries demand more speed than ever. To meet this need, laser heads cannot be mounted on robotic arms like they usually are.
Higher speed can be achieved by performing laser welding remotely and using robots to clamp every single weld at very high speed. This is what we call robot-assisted laser welding.
While traditional laser welding makes use of a six-axis robot to move the laser welding head and follow the weld seam, robot-assisted laser welding uses a process called remote laser welding.
Remote laser welding uses optical components to direct the laser beam from a distance. Fast-rotating mirrors called galvanometers move the laser beam with high precision and speed to allow precise weld patterns.
Remote laser welding involves few mechanical movements because the laser head has a large field of view and rarely needs to be moved. For example, when welding cylindrical cells, it takes less than 1 microsecond (1 millionth of a second) to move the laser beam from one battery cell to the next.
The increased speed offered by remote laser welding is critical when welding small and sensitive components like battery tabs.
Watch the following videos to compare robotic laser welding with robot-assisted remote laser welding. In the first one, you’ll see robotic laser welding inside a welding cell and, in the second one, battery laser welding for the automotive industry.
Clamping can be difficult to adapt to part variations, but it is necessary to achieve high-quality and consistent welds. Robots make this easy by offering the possibility to dynamically adjust clamping tools for each part.
During remote laser welding, industrial robots like SCARA robots can assist the laser welding process, as shown in the previous video. Working in 4 axes, these clamping robots offer more versatility in three ways:
Laserax has developed a fiber laser welding machine specifically designed to weld battery modules and cells at a high pace and with a high yield. This machine was developed to address the challenges specific to battery welding. It includes features such as:
|  |
If you’re interested in battery laser welding assisted by robots, contact us today. We can accompany you through design, prototyping, preproduction, and full-scale production.
Keven is the product line manager for Laserax’s battery welding solutions. He has a strong background in electrical engineering, especially in PLC programming, electrical design, and vision systems. He is often involved in evaluating customer needs to offer adapted industrial solutions.
Laser welding is a highly precise and efficient welding technology used across various industries including automotive, aerospace, and medical manufacturing. It offers deep penetration, high welding speeds, and minimal thermal distortion, making it an ideal choice for applications requiring accuracy, speed and repeatability.
The integrity of a weld is highly dependent on surface preparation. Aluminum has a natural tendency to form oxide and even a thin layer can lead to weld defects. Oxide and potential contamination from oils, lubricants, paints, and particulate matter can create bubbles of air trapped inside the materials, impacting the bonding process.
Laser beam welding (LBW) is a precise and efficient method used to join materials through the use of a laser beam. It is known for its accuracy, speed, and ability to work on small, delicate components, making it ideal for industries like electronics, batteries, automotive, and aerospace.
