How laser welding works, what thickness 1 to 2 kW handheld units weld, handheld versus automated cells, Class 4 laser safety, fit-up, cost drivers, and when MIG or TIG is still the better tool.
A laser welding machine joins metal with a focused laser beam, usually from a fibre laser, giving narrow welds with little distortion and fast travel on thin to medium sheet. Handheld units of 1 to 2 kW weld steel up to about 8 mm and aluminium up to about the same, while automated cells handle repeat production. It needs tight fit-up and Class 4 laser safety controls. Compare welding equipment suppliers in the UAE once you know the thickness and volume you weld.
This guide is for fabrication shop owners, production engineers and buyers deciding whether laser welding fits their work, and whether to buy a handheld unit or an automated system. It covers how laser welding works, power and thickness, handheld versus robotic systems, laser safety, fit-up, cost drivers and where MIG or TIG is still the better tool. Arc welding machines, duty cycle and import rules are covered in our welding machine buying guide for the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Saudi buyers can compare sellers on the welding equipment page for Saudi Arabia.
A laser concentrates energy into a very small spot, with a power density in the order of 1 MW per square centimetre. That gives small heat-affected zones and very fast heating and cooling. There are two modes:
Spot welds can be as small as about 1 mm in diameter, and seams can run for metres. Filler wire is added when the joint needs it.
| Laser type | Wavelength | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | Near infrared; ask the maker for the exact figure | Gain medium is a doped optical fibre; powers up to 50 kW; increasingly used in robotic welding |
| CO2 | 10.6 micrometres | Up to 25 kW; fibre cannot carry this wavelength, so the beam is delivered with rigid mirrors and lenses |
| Nd:YAG (solid-state) | About 1 micrometre | 0.04 W to 6 kW, pulsed or continuous; needs special eyewear or screens |
Unlike CO2 lasers, whose wavelength optical fibre cannot carry, solid-state sources can be delivered to the head by flexible cable, which is what makes light handheld guns and robot heads practical.
Laser welding handles carbon steel, high-strength low-alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminium and titanium. TRUMPF lists low-spatter deep penetration processes for mild steel, stainless steel, copper and aluminium, and says the short, controlled melt can make some hard-to-weld materials weldable. Two cautions from the reference literature: high-carbon steels are prone to cracking because of the high cooling rates, and pulsed welding can cause hot cracking in aluminium alloys.
Thickness depends on laser power. IPG Photonics publishes maximum thicknesses for its LightWELD handheld range, which gives a realistic picture for this class of machine:
| Material | 1,000 W | 1,500 W | 2,000 W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steels | 4.0 mm | 5.9 mm | 8.0 mm |
| Aluminium (3xxx and 5xxx series) | 3.3 mm | 5.8 mm | 8.3 mm |
| Aluminium (6xxx series) | 3.3 mm | 5.2 mm | 5.8 mm |
| Nickel alloy | Not listed | 5.2 mm | 7.1 mm |
| Titanium | Not listed | 5.2 mm | 5.9 mm |
| Copper | Not listed | 2.1 mm | 3.3 mm |
Values converted from IPG's inch figures. These are maximums for one maker's machines; ask any supplier for its own table, and for the thickness it can weld at the speed and quality you need, not just the limit.
Handheld laser welders put a laser gun, fed by a cable from the source, in the welder's hand. Automated systems move the beam with a robot, a gantry or a scanner inside an enclosed cell.
| Factor | Handheld laser welder | Automated laser cell or robot |
|---|---|---|
| Typical power | About 1 to 2 kW (IPG LightWELD range) | Fibre sources up to 50 kW exist |
| Best for | Manual work on varied parts and short runs | Repeat production; tubes, profiles and strip; small precision assemblies |
| Operator | Manual welder, trained on the laser and its safety | Programmer and operator |
| Laser safety | Open beam at the work: needs a controlled laser area, eyewear and interlocks | Beam inside an enclosure |
| Fit-up | Beam wobble and filler wire widen the tolerance | Repeatable fit-up and fixturing |
IPG's LightWELD is a well-documented example of the features to compare:
IPG claims the units weld four times faster than TIG. Treat speed claims as the maker's, and ask for a trial weld on your own parts.
Most laser welding is automated. Traditionally a robot carries the laser head along the seam; in remote welding a scanner moves the beam instead, which increases speed and precision. TRUMPF's range shows the spread of system types: the TruLaser Weld 3000 and 5000 for automated laser welding of varied components, the TruLaser Station 7000 for small assemblies such as sensors and medical devices, the TruLaser Cell 1100 for continuous welding of tubes, profiles and strip, and 3D laser machines that combine cutting and welding. TRUMPF claims virtually distortion-free parts and seams that need hardly any rework, and says laser welding can cost less than conventional welding when parts are suited to it. Integrators and cells are listed under welding automation systems.
Laser-hybrid welding combines a laser with MIG/MAG in one head: the arc adds filler metal and tolerance to joint position, and the laser adds speed and reduces undercut.
Laser safety is the biggest change for a shop moving from arc to laser welding. Laser products are classified under IEC 60825-1:2014 (edition 3.0), Safety of laser products, Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements, which covers lasers emitting between 180 nm and 1 mm and requires classification, labels, safety information and protective features.
Fume still needs extraction: laser welding melts and vaporises metal like any fusion process. For helmets and respiratory protection, see our guide to welding helmets and PPE.
The laser's narrow beam is both its strength and its limit. TRUMPF's own comparison says that with MIG/MAG welding, gaps in the seam can be bridged with filler metal and component tolerances can be much higher than with laser welding, and that MIG/MAG can weld sheets up to 30 mm thick with suitable joint preparation. For laser welding, plan for:
Laser welding does not replace arc welding across the board. MIG/MAG, TIG or stick is usually the better tool when:
Our comparison of MIG, TIG and stick welding covers how to choose among the arc processes. Compare TIG welding machines for thin precision work if a laser does not fit.
No prices here; they depend on power, brand and configuration. What drives cost:
Listed in no particular order. Jasic, the Chinese arc welding maker, lists the launch of successive generations of handheld laser products in its company history. TRUMPF of Germany makes automated laser welding systems and laser sources for welding, alongside its cutting and bending machines. IPG Photonics makes the LightWELD handheld and cobot laser welding systems described above. Check local service for the laser source before buying any brand.
In Saudi Arabia, SASO's Technical Regulation for Electromagnetic Compatibility lists among its products customs heading 8515 (described as electric welding machines and apparatus working by electron beam or magnetic pulse) and heading 9013 (lasers other than laser diodes), so ask the importer which heading and certificate covers the machine and for the SABER registration. In the UAE, electrical equipment conformity routes through MoIAT are covered in the main guide. In both countries, ask for the IEC 60825-1 classification, laser warning labels and the safety manual in Arabic and English.
When your specification is ready, post your laser welding requirement and let suppliers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia quote against it.
More in this series: Welding Rods, Welder Qualification and Certification in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
It depends on power and material. IPG publishes maximums for its LightWELD range of about 4 mm of steel at 1,000 W, 5.9 mm at 1,500 W and 8 mm at 2,000 W, with similar figures for 3xxx and 5xxx aluminium and less for copper. Ask each supplier for its own table and test welds at production speed.
For thin sheet in volume, laser welding is faster and gives narrow seams with little distortion; IPG claims its handheld units are four times faster than TIG. TIG is better where fit-up varies, sections are thicker, the work is on site, or welds must follow existing qualified procedures. TIG equipment also needs no laser safety controls.
They are safe only with proper controls. A 1 to 2 kW welding laser is far above the 0.5 W Class 3B limit, so it falls in Class 4, where even diffuse reflections can harm eyes and skin, and near-infrared beams can be invisible. Use a controlled area with interlocks, wavelength-rated laser eyewear, trained operators and a laser safety officer.
Yes. TRUMPF lists deep penetration laser welding for aluminium and copper as well as steels, and IPG gives handheld maximums for both. Aluminium alloys can hot crack with pulsed welding, and copper's maximum thickness is lower than steel's at the same power, so test the specific alloy.
Handheld systems deliver gas to the gun along with power and control, as IPG's LightWELD does through a single cable. Use the gas type and flow the machine maker and the welding procedure specify for each material.
Tighter than arc welding. TRUMPF notes that MIG/MAG can bridge gaps with filler metal and accept much higher component tolerances than laser welding. Laser welding works best with accurately cut edges and fixturing that holds the gap closed; beam wobble and filler wire extend the tolerance on handheld units.
Featured image: Photo: Barbara Nasiłowska, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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