Herd adds laser welding to Winnipeg facility

Herd, a producer of trucking accessories including truck guards and grille guards, has integrated hand-held laser welding capabilities at its Winnipeg, Man., production facility. The IPG LightWeld XR uses a laser to fuse a variety of metals up to four times faster than TIG welding and with deeper penetration than MIG welding, the company reports. Optimized presets make it easy to use for staff without previous welding experience or training.

With the new technology, the company has cut its welding wire consumables usages by up to 80%. The process has also helped eliminate the need for upright grinding, allowing products to be finished with a quick sanding process and accelerating the upstream production process by up to 55%.