Automotive - Air Bag Initiators
Welding live initiators calls for excellent laser control and the most robust fiber optic delivery systems on the market. Hermetic welds in these thin wall devices are critical to their operation and lifetime. Maintaining the proper weld penetration and weld width ensures that the weld strength always meets specifications and the total heat input is controlled.
Lasers with Time-Share Multiplexing to send the output from one laser to multiple workstations are often used to maximize the laser's capability and to handle any downtime contingencies. Initiator weld cycle times are on the order of 0.5 to 1.5 seconds so multiplexing the laser to weld at one station while a second is loading/unloading will maximize throughput at minimum cost.
When components are mis-assembled they can explode during welding. JK Nd:YAG lasers with Luminator fiber delivery meet this challenge. The nearly indestructible Luminator fiber optic system has patented features for back-reflection protection and a novel fiber-termination system allows the fibers to continue working flawlessly in the worst mechanical shock environments.
Both JK Pulsed and Super Modulated CW Nd:YAG laser systems are a solution.Pulsed YAG lasers have excellent control and low heat input characteristics. The ability to shape the laser pulses and to control laser burst time and ramp down make them easy to integrate and use. For higher speed operation the JK Super Modulated CW lasers will produce faster welds with no increase in heat input. Super Modulation of the laser's output improves the welding speed or penetration up to 40% when compared to CW-only operation.
Typical lasers that have been used for this application
JK125P, JK300P & JK300HP
For Fiber-Delivered Cutting, Welding, Heat Treating
JK2003SM
Lamp-Pumped Nd:YAG, 2000W, 4000W with SuperModulation
JK401SM & JK501SM
Lamp-Pumped Nd:YAG, 400 & 500W, 800 & 1000 with SuperModulation
JK450HP & JK600HP
Lamp-Pumped Nd:YAG, 450 & 600W
Please call us to discuss lasers for your specific application
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