Remote laser welding: a few things to know. (Produce).(effects on retooling )

Laser welding for body and component applications in U.S. facilities are slowly growing. Some of the benefits of remote laser welding may cause an acceleration. Here are some things to know about it.

Is it possible for machinery to minimize the amount of tooling necessary in a body shop, particularly for component (e.g., door, rear-shelf) assembly? The answer to that question, according to Vancho Naumovski, manager, Laser Systems, Utica Enterprises (Shelby Township, MI), is yes. And the equipment in question, of course, is a laser. But not just what has now become the (more or less) run-of-the-mill laser. Naumovski is talking about [CO.sub.2] remote laser systems.

A word about remote laser welding. One of the fundamentals of laser processing is that it is a noncontact operation. But whereas in conventional laser processing the work head is close to the work, with remote laser …