Laser Welder Joins Plastic Parts in Blink of an Eye

Norbert Sparrow | Oct 28, 2022

Initially developed as a custom laser welder for a customer, the Branson GL-300 performed so well that Emerson adapted the device for its portfolio. It was shown for the first time to the public at K 2022.

One of the striking features of the welder is its lightning speed, as Emerson’s Filip Gajdos showed me at the stand. The weld is formed in the blink of an eye. Moreover, the weld line is perfect, even if the part has a small defect. Gajdos nicked the part with a pocketknife. “Remember where I cut it,” he told me as he placed the part in the weld area. When he removed it a second or two later, he defied me to find the defect. He won that challenge.

The GL-300 was designed to deliver efficient, high-quality welds in a range of applications. Cost-effective and easy-to-change tooling enables rapid setup and adjustment for changing production requirements.

Other features include a state-of-the-art scanning system, user friendly interface, 300 x 300 mm weld area, multiple weld modes, variable spot size as low as 0.5 mm, and an adjustable laser power source height.

At its stand, Emerson also featured the GLX-1 laser welder, which was being shown for the first time at the K show.

The automated, connected system can join small, complex, often delicate plastic components with cycle times, weld strength, and aesthetics that surpass most other welding methods, said Emerson. Its small footprint enables seamless integration with automated joining systems.

The GLX-1 is Industry 4.0/IIoT compatible, delivering actionable operational data over USB and OPC-UA interfaces. The welder is available with one to three laser banks, each with a maximum 125 W of power. Close-loop-controlled pneumatic actuation delivers 400, 600, or 1800 N clamp force over maximum stroke lengths of 75 mm in the smaller unit and 152 mm in the two larger models. The 12-in. touchscreen human machine interface is mounted on a swiveling arm for easy viewing at convenient angles.

K 2022 ran from Oct. 19 to 26 at Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany.

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