How To Make Laser Welding And Cutting Affordable And Sustainable

By Christian Dini, Director, Global Business Development, Ophir

Many production processes have been steadily streamlined, automated, and many times replaced by laser systems in the past few decades. Even though laser systems are less subject to wear and require much less maintenance, it pays to regularly verify laser beam quality through reproducible measurement methods, even during productive operation. Unfortunately, many regularly used empirical measurement methods do not provide accurate and standardized results, leading to questionable laser operation. Even the smallest deviations in beam adjustment or focal position may result in massive cost increases and pollution of the environment in a variety of ways. This article discusses the consequences of poor measurements in more detail, and presents a measurement solution that can help make applications like laser welding and cutting affordable and sustainable.