Flashlamp-pumped lasers have been used successfully in industrial manufacturing for more than 40 years. In numerous fields of application, they have been – and continue to be – a key technology for producing sophisticated products.
In particular, micro-welding with pulsed Nd lasers made the industrial production of many delicate and technically complex components possible in the first place. Their high peak pulse power and precisely controllable energy input enable the reliable welding of extremely small components and sensitive materials.
Over the past 20 years, the size of these laser systems has been significantly reduced through the use of new materials, more efficient electronic components and more compact assemblies. At the same time, reliability, ease of operation and process stability have been continuously improved. As a result, flashlamp-pumped Nd lasers have developed into proven tools for a wide range of technological applications.
Today, many thousands of Vision laser systems are in operation in industries including medical technology, sensor technology, precision engineering, dental technology and the jewellery industry.
The following advantages generally apply regardless of the manufacturer:
These advantages are offset by several technical disadvantages:
For several years, the use of fiber lasers in industrial welding and cutting has increased steadily. Their high energy efficiency, excellent beam quality and exceptional reliability make them particularly attractive for automated production processes and high-volume applications.
Fiber lasers have therefore become established not only in the automotive industry, but also in many other sectors where high system availability, reproducible processes and low operating costs are essential.
Modern fiber lasers are based on high-performance laser diodes. Key technological principles of these diodes were originally developed for telecommunications applications, where exceptionally high reliability, long service life and stable optical performance were required.
As the technology evolved, laser diodes were significantly optimized in terms of power, efficiency and service life. Depending on their design, modern single-emitter laser diodes used as pump sources in fiber lasers can achieve very high optical output powers. At the same time, they are designed for operating lifetimes of up to 100,000 hours.
For several years, fiber lasers have been gaining increasing importance across all areas of industrial welding and cutting.
Their high efficiency and exceptional reliability have opened the door to widespread use in the automotive industry, as well as in many other sectors where products are manufactured in high volumes.
Today’s fiber lasers are based on laser diodes originally developed for telecommunications applications. Approximately 15 years ago, the development of these diodes began with the objective of achieving extremely high power densities and exceptionally long service lives.
An operating lifetime of 100,000 hours corresponds to approximately 11.4 years of continuous operation, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. However, the actual service life depends on factors such as operating temperature, electrical load, cooling concept and the specific conditions of use.
The demanding lifetime requirements for these diodes originated partly in the telecommunications industry. Optical amplifier systems were sometimes installed in difficult-to-access submarine cable infrastructures. A failure of such components would have resulted in complex and costly repair operations. Consequently, the requirements for reliability and long-term stability were exceptionally high.
The long service life of the laser diodes, combined with robust and hermetically sealed laser sources, makes fiber lasers particularly attractive wherever reliability, high system availability and low ongoing operating costs are key priorities.
Due to their comparatively low efficiency of approximately 3 to 4 percent, flashlamp-pumped Nd lasers often require a high-capacity electrical power supply. Depending on the laser power and system configuration, a three-phase power connection may be necessary.
A large proportion of the electrical energy consumed is converted into heat rather than usable laser radiation. As a result, a powerful water-cooling system is generally required. This increases space requirements, maintenance effort and energy consumption.
Modern FSS fiber lasers (QCW), by contrast, typically achieve significantly higher electro-optical efficiencies of more than 30 percent. Depending on their design and power class, some current systems achieve even higher values.
Because of their lower power losses, compact FSS fiber laser systems can often be operated with integrated air cooling. In low and medium power classes, a standard single-phase mains connection is frequently sufficient. Depending on the specific system configuration, supply voltages ranging from approximately 90 to 230 volts may be possible.
However, high-power FSS fiber lasers may also require active water cooling and a more powerful electrical supply. The specific system design therefore always depends on the laser power, duty cycle and the respective application process.
comparison between YAG and FSS
FSS fiber lasers will not completely replace flashlamp-pumped laser systems.
In many applications where the laser is used only occasionally or is not operated continuously in a production environment, flashlamp-pumped systems will remain an economically attractive solution in the future. This is particularly true when a comparatively low initial investment is more important than maximum energy efficiency, system availability and low ongoing operating costs.
Flashlamp-pumped Nd lasers also continue to offer technical advantages in applications requiring particularly high pulse energies. One example is the welding of highly reflective precious metals such as gold and silver. For this reason, these systems will continue to maintain a strong market position over the long term, particularly in jewellery manufacturing and repair applications.
The higher investment costs of the FSS series are particularly likely to pay off in applications requiring high average laser power, long duty cycles and consistently high availability. Thanks to their high energy efficiency, low maintenance requirements and excellent process stability, FSS lasers are especially well suited to automated manufacturing processes and high-volume production.
The exceptionally high availability of these systems enables their use in automated production cells and even their integration into continuously operating production lines, such as those used in the automotive industry.
The two technologies are therefore not fundamentally in competition with one another. Instead, the optimum choice depends on the specific application profile. Flashlamp-pumped systems are particularly compelling for occasional use, high individual pulse energies and price-sensitive applications. FSS lasers deliver their greatest advantages in highly utilized systems, automated processes and applications with particularly demanding requirements for efficiency, reproducibility and system availability.
So what is so new, if fibre lasers have been around for so long?
What is new is that the FSS lasers from Vision Lasertechnik can provide a short-term (pulsed laser) maximum pulse output of 3000 watts.
A conventional fibre laser with a 3000 watt output would be in the six-figure price range.
The technology used in our lasers has a special heat management system.
This means the diode s can briefly be operated at 10 x the usual current in CW mode. The system is therefore based not on a 3000 watt laser, but on a 300 watt laser, which is suitable for brief operation at up to 3000 watts thanks to its special design.
This unique technology makes it possible to supply pulsed fibre lasers with high pulse outputs at a competitive prices compared to flash-lamp pumping systems.
The slightly higher investment costs are soon put into perspective when you factor in availability and operating costs.
