Hand Held Laser Welding ??

[AriLea]

I didn't want to disturb Mark's Mongrel Thread, but this is interesting for bench-built vehicle fabrication. We had mentioned how much skill welding takes.
This hand held laser looks like it's easier to control heat. Cool. There must be more of these on the market than just this one. Or will be soon.
(click on the video)

Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning Systems | IPG Photonics

Handheld laser welder and handheld laser cleaner in one system. Up to 4X faster than TIG, able to weld a wide range of materials up to ¼” thick.

lasersystems.ipgphotonics.com

 

[Keith Stone]

I didn't want to disturb Mark's Mongrel Thread, but this is interesting for bench-built vehicle fabrication. We had mentioned how much skill welding takes.
This hand held laser looks like it's easier to control heat. Cool. There must be more of these on the market than just this one. Or will be soon.
(click on the video)

Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning Systems | IPG Photonics

Handheld laser welder and handheld laser cleaner in one system. Up to 4X faster than TIG, able to weld a wide range of materials up to ¼” thick.

lasersystems.ipgphotonics.com

That looks awesome! But spending $30k on a welder that will only weld 1/4” steel, I’ll stick with a MIG or TIG welder for under $1k for myself. The ability to weld fast and many types of metals may be great for car building. I hope I get the opportunity to weld with a laser in my lifetime looks fun!

 

[AriLea]

That looks awesome! But spending $30k on a welder that will only weld 1/4” steel, I’ll stick with a MIG or TIG welder for under $1k for myself. The ability to weld fast and many types of metals may be great for car building. I hope I get the opportunity to weld with a laser in my lifetime looks fun!

They will definitely come down in price someday. But then things may get weird. There is lots of evil such equipment can do other than weld stuff.

Can you imagine a devoiced welder burning 'I hate you' on his ex's living room wall from the street?
(who me? I didn't do THAT, prove it...) That's just a taste

 

[BrianRosenthal]

Note that these use various tips that are dragged on the part. This keeps the distance constant, needed as laser welding is done with the beam focused, not collimated, so the useful range is limited. By the time the energy crossed the street it would be dispersed enough to not even peel the paint.

Not to say that laser welding doesn't have specific safety issues.

 

[AriLea]

Well, remember, there are lenses that can survive lots of energy. And that would change the focus calculation.

I just bought a skin treatment laser that the StyoPyro guy on youtube was exhibiting. That thing will burn your eyes out in a second if you are not careful.
It's even dangerous just from the reflection off the wall, just under the level to pop balloons that other sources can now do. SO I'm going to always use the glasses it came with from now on.
Anyway, taking one of these things apart and making something else, and having them cheap and plentiful, this is where trouble starts.

The laser I got must be plugged into the ac outlet. But at 5v @ 2A it is just a battery pack way from being a totally portable trouble maker.

 

[BrianRosenthal]

Anyway, taking one of these things apart and making something else, and having them cheap and plentiful, this is where trouble starts.

You have a point there, I hadn't considered modifications. Which is a bit odd give how often I do that kind of thing.

 

[AriLea]

You have a point there, I hadn't considered modifications. Which is a bit odd give how often I do that kind of thing.

And the main issue is not things like blowing things up or starting fires, well not yet. It's simply blinding all things with eyes. Like humans, animals, to include pilots and police.

These things have been baned from areas like war, but China has exposed a recent development of a 'cannon' very much like the one in the third video above, and we all know how quickly Russia skips over any limitations of morality to assert thier objectives.

The US has lasers now that are specifically designed to not be suitible for 'blinding', but that is a militrary realm issue.

OK, enough of that subject.