Welding nozzle protects weld zone and laser beam delivery optics

The new Laserdyne SmartShield™ welding nozzle protects against excessive oxidation in the weld area on such materials as aluminum alloys, copper alloys, titanium alloys, nickel-based superalloys, and stainless steels. The nozzle is suitable for use on the 3- to 7-axis 795, 430BD, and 430 Vera laser processing systems.

The patent-pending nozzle provides a high-velocity gas barrier that prevents metal sparks from the weld zone from contaminating the protective lens cover slide. The cross-jet does not contaminate or otherwise interfere with the welding shield gas. The nozzle is designed so that it can be used with an entire range of shield gas delivery devices, including welding shoe and coaxial gas nozzle tips.

The shielding gas shoe provides a controlled atmosphere for the weld zone when molten and while it is cooling to a temperature at which it will no longer be compromised by the ambient atmosphere. This is important for welding materials, such as titanium alloys, that have a strong affinity for oxygen and nitrogen in the ambient atmosphere. The focusing lens/shield gas assemblies for laser welding can be changed quickly to vary the focused spot size or to change from welding to cutting or drilling.