Laser welding is a process that uses a highly focused laser beam to melt and join together two or more metal pieces. During the process, the laser beam heats the metal to a molten state, which then cools and solidifies, creating a strong and durable bond.

The very high-power and tight focus of the laser beam actually creates a narrow, deep channel or “keyhole” in the metal where the metal material is vaporized (turned into a gas or plasma). The vapor keyhole is surrounded by a liquid pool. The tighly focused beam and narroy keyhole results in a very small heat affected zone (HAZ) is the area surrounding the weld. The HAZ is an area where the metal has been subjected to high temperatures but has not melted. This zone can be weakened and cause structural issues if it is too large. However, since the keyhole process creates a deep, narrow channel, there is less heat transferred to the surrounding metal, resulting in a smaller HAZ, while still penetrating deep into the work material for very strong bonds.

The video above also showcases a galvo scanning laser. A galvo scanning laser uses a set of galvo scanning reflectors to stear the laser beam. This galvo stearing mechanism allows the beam to move rapidly across the work part for high productivity while still retaining ultra high precision, creating welds with tolerances as small as a few microns, making it ideal for creating complex parts and components with intricate geometries.