At Civan Lasers, innovation drives us to continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible in laser welding. Last year, we demonstrated the ability to weld 20mm thick SS 316 with exceptional mechanical properties, setting a new industry standard. Now, as we launch into 2025, our Application Lab Team has reached an exciting milestone: successfully welding 30mm thick SS 316 in a single pass using our Dynamic Beam Laser (DBL) technology.
Why This Matters for Industry
This breakthrough is a game-changer for industries requiring thick-section welding, such as pressure vessel manufacturing, and energy infrastructure:
Efficiency Gains: Faster welding speeds and single-pass capability reduce production times. In some cases, reducing process that take days into less than an Hour!
Cost Savings: Lower energy consumption and reduced reliance on consumables result in significant savings.
Unmatched Reliability: Superior mechanical properties and reduced defects ensure consistent, high-quality results for critical applications.
Pushing the Limits: The 30mm Breakthrough
This milestone was achieved using a 28kW DBL, operating with 23kW of power and a travel speed of 22 mm/sec. The weld utilized a shape sequence of two beam shapes, dynamically switching between them every 10ms. This advanced method, previously proven effective for thick sections of mild steel, optimizes molten material flow, significantly reducing solidification cracks and porosity.
Mechanical Testing of 20mm Welds
Mechanical testing of 20mm thick SS 316 welds demonstrated exceptional results, validating the superior quality achieved with Dynamic Beam Laser (DBL) technology. Tensile tests confirmed that the welds not only met but exceeded industry standards for SS 316, with achieving an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 660 MPa and 590 MPa, both surpassing the 490 MPa standard (AWS D1.6-2017). Bending tests further highlighted the weld's ductility and structural integrity, with both specimens passing—Side Bend with no critical defects and Side Bend 2 exhibiting minimal defect sizes (0.87 mm, 0.31 mm, 0.39 mm, and 3.45 mm at the corner). These results underscore the reliability and precision of DBL technology in delivering high-quality welds for demanding applications.
Future Plans: Pushing Thickness Limits
Our work is far from over. The next steps for Civan Lasers include:
Maximizing Thickness for the 28kW Laser: Continuing to refine and test the capabilities of the current DBL system for thicker sections.
Advancing with the 42kW Laser: Developing and testing a higher-power laser system to push the limits of single-pass welding for even greater thicknesses.