FOCUS ON WELDING
CVE , with help from TRUMPF , went from a blank canvas to a successfully commissioned laser-welding system in a matter of months ……
“ Laser welding is a technique known for its versatility and high productivity , especially when joining thin-section materials and welding at high speeds .”
PARTNERS IN PROGRESS
Cambridge Vacuum Engineering ( CVE ), a specialist in the design and manufacture of electron beam welding ( EBW ) machines , has built its very first laserwelding system . Now installed at the site of an important customer in the automotive sector , the machine features a TRUMPF TruDisk 1000 , a 1kW solid-state laser with optimised beam quality for welding metals ( in this case , steel and Inconel ).
The origins of CVE can be traced back to the late 1950s when two Cambridge graduates founded the company . Through a process of subsequent breakaway groups and acquisitions , the CVE name emerged in the late 1980s . Despite the change of identity , the focus remained the same : EBW and vacuum furnaces , largely in support of aero-engine manufacturing .
Today , the ISO9001-accredited company has circa 70 employees and is supported by facilities in the U . S . and China .
Automotive sector in focus
“ In recent years , we ’ ve been supplying a lot more machines to automotive customers , some of whom are beginning to make enquiries about EBW alternatives ,” reported Steve Horrex , Sales Director , CVE . “ Traditionally , EBW works in a vacuum , which is great from a process quality perspective , but vacuum generation and maintenance is sometimes seen as burdensome . For this reason , laser welding is gaining attention in certain applications as it can operate using nothing more than a shield gas .”
Indeed , the company recently received an enquiry for a fully automated , bespoke laserwelding system from an existing automotive customer . It would prove to be CVE ’ s first laser-welding machine , marking the beginning of its association with TRUMPF . The machine is being used by a Tier-One automotive supplier to weld small ( approximately 50mm long ) steel and Inconel parts together in reasonably high volumes .
“ In this particular application , the join quality produced by laser welding with a shield gas was perfectly adequate ,” explained Mr Horrex . “ TRUMPF was chosen for its track record in the automotive sector and its reputation for quality engineering . The customer ’ s R & D centre also had a TRUMPF system , which definitely helped steer the purchase decision .”
Laser welding is a technique known for its versatility and high productivity , especially when joining thin-section materials and welding at high speeds . Compared to other welding techniques , laser welding has relatively low heat input resulting in low distortion , excellent mechanical properties and minimal post-weld machining .
Shield gases protect the weld area from oxygen and water vapour . In addition , unlike EBW , no X-rays are produced so the process
34 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR June 2021