There are so many important operations and precautions for using handheld laser welders at different usage stages, such as preparation, safety checks, operation guidelines, safety precautions, cleanup, maintenance, etc.
We will explain these in detail according to the three usage stages: Pre-Operation, During Use, and Post-Use Procedures.
Here is a complete guide from HANTENCNC to using handheld laser welders.
1. Pre-Operation: Preparation and safety checks
(1). Exterior and Accessory Check
After receiving HANTENCNC's laser welding machines, you need to check the exterior and accessories of the laser welder carefully and make sure the whole machine is intact and not damaged.
(2). Voltage and Frequency Confirmation
In this step, you need to check the required voltage and frequency of this machine, which is on the nameplate of the device; this step is very important because you need to confirm whether the required voltage and frequency match your power supply.
For example, 1000w to 2000w laser welders match with the single-phase 220V power supply, and 3000w laser welders match with the three-phase 380V power supply.
Frequency means the frequency of the grid, such as 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
Make sure to connect the machine correctly, or the laser welding machines will be damaged.
(3). Power Connection
In this step, you need to connect the laser welder to the power supply.Or you can hire an electrician to do this for you.
Before connecting the power, you must turn off the power!
1000w to 2000w laser welders use a single-phase 220V power supply.
As shown in the picture,
The wire marked L is a live wire,
The wire marked N is a neutral wire,
The wire marked PE is a protective earth wire,
3000w laser welders use a three-phase 380V power supply.
As shown in the picture,
the wires marked L1, L2, and L3 refer to three live wires of the three-phase power supply.
Each of the wires needs to be connected to the corresponding phase port on the air switch.
Live wire and neutral wire should be connected to the corresponding live and neutral ports of your single-phase power supply.
Protective earth wire must be connected to the ground port.
(4).How to add water or laser antifreeze to the water chiller?
When adding water to the water cooler, please use distilled water, purified water, or deionized water; do not use mineral water because it may damage the water cooling system as it contains minerals.
If the temperature drops below 0°C in winter, please add the laser antifreeze to the water chiller. Do not use the car antifreeze, for car antifreeze will corrode the cooling system.
Usually, different temperatures use different mixing ratios of antifreeze and water. So you need to adjust the mixing ratios of them according to different temperatures.
Here is a reference table for mixing ratios of antifreeze and water.
| Mixing Ratios of Antifreeze and Purified Water | Temperature |
|---|
| 60% laser antifreeze + 40% purified water | -30°C to -40°C |
| 50% laser antifreeze + 50% purified water | -20°C to -30°C |
| 40% laser antifreeze + 60% purified water | -10°C to -20°C |
| 30% laser antifreeze + 70% purified water | 10°C to -10°C |
Generally, the capacity of the water chiller is 13L or 16L. Please fill the water to the green part of the liquid level indicator.
As shown in the picture left:
Power on the water chiller and check whether there is any water leakage.
(5). Gas Requirements and Pressure Regulation in Handheld Laser Welder
Handheld laser welding machines require two kinds of gases when working: Argon or Nitrogen. Such gases will not react with the metal during the welding, thus protecting the welding area from oxidation.
In addition to Argon or Nitrogen, you can also use filtered & compressed air. Just be careful that the compressed air is oil-free and water-free and must be filtered to avoid damaging the protective lens.
Usually, laser welders operate at a gas pressure in the range of 10-20 bar, while laser cleaners operate at a gas pressure in the range of 4-5 bar.
The picture below shows the gas pressure regulator used in a laser welding machine
The picture below shows the gas pressure regulator used in a laser cleaning machine.
In general, the required gas pressure for laser welder and laser cleaner is different, but the above two kinds of pressure regulators are interchangeable.
After completing all the above requirements, you can then connect the handheld laser welder to the power supplies.
2. During Operation: Guidelines and safety precaution
（1）Prohibited to expose the laser to people or flammable objects
When using the laser welding machine, it is strictly prohibited to expose the laser to people or flammable objects.
For step-by-step instructions on how to use the handheld laser welding machine, you can take a look at the HANTENCNC's operation demonstration video.
No worries; after you purchase HANTENCNC’s handheld laser welding machine, our salesperson will proactively send you relevant operating videos.
（2）Replace the laser protective lens regularly
After using the handheld laser welding machine for some time, HANTENCNC's software will issue an alarm that indicates high temperature, which may serve as a reminder to replace the laser protective lens rather than an actual high-temperature warning; this is a safety mechanism that HANTENCNC has implemented.
Generally, the laser protective lens of a laser welding machine should be replaced twice per week.
The laser protective lens of a 1000-2000W laser cleaner should be replaced every 2-3 days.
The protective lens of a 3000W laser cleaner needs to be replaced every day.
Whether or not to replace the laser protective lens of your laser welding machine depends on its usage duration and environmental conditions.
（3）Before using the handheld laser welder, you should check the water temperature of the water chiller
Keeping the water temperature between 20℃ - 25℃ can ensure the efficient and stable output of the laser, helps to improve the welding effect, and extends the service life of the laser.
If the temperature is lower or higher than 20℃ - 25℃ during the laser welding process, it will weaken the laser, affecting its stability.
HANTENCNC's water chiller has a heating function, which can control the temperature between 20℃ - 25℃ quickly after starting up the laser welding machine.
So, before starting up the handheld laser welder, you should check the water temperature to ensure that the laser is operating at its best.
3. Post-Operation: Cleanup, Maintenance, and Safe Shutdown
(1) The protective lens needs to be cleaned after use
After using the handheld laser welder, you need to check and clean the protective lens every time. Use Ethanol with a concentration of 75% or higher and absorbent cotton to wipe the protective lens, which can remove grease and dirt from the protective lens effectively.
(2) Empty the water from the water chiller
If you did not add the laser antifreeze to the water chiller, in case the temperature drops below 0°C, you need to empty the water from the water chiller to prevent water from freezing.
(3) Turn off the gas and power supply in time
After using the handheld laser welder, please turn off the gas and power supply in time.
The above are the precautions for handheld laser welding machines and continuous laser cleaning machines. Hope it will be helpful to you.
