Medical Device Laser Welding
Lasers use a concentrated beam of light that is coherent (in phase, the same wavelength, traveling in the same direction), collimated (contained in a beam with a very small diameter), and monochromatic (one color). This means lasers apply heat to the workpieces in a highly focused small area. Laser welding is advantageous for medical devices and surgical instruments, especially where high precision, minimal heat warpage circumferential welds are necessary.
Engineers looking for highly precise, circumferential welds with minimal heat warping for long, slender medical device parts prefer laser welding. Common medical device welding processes include laser beam welding as well as micro-TIG welding. These processes allow for clean, highly repeatable, and precise joining of medical device components. Our Nd: YAG laser welder is ideal for applications such as surgical tools, pacemakers, drug pumps, and defibrillators.
China Surgical Tools is excited to announce our new in house laser welding capability with the company’s LaserStar(R) G3 1900 pedestal laser welder.
Fiber Optic Welding Applications and Processes
Laser welding is useful in the aerospace and medical device industries due to its advantages over similar types of welding such as TIG. Laser welding is fully automatable, allowing high production runs to be completed with very low variation.
Welding is a very common metal joining process in which adjoining components are heated to their melting temperatures, forming a small pool of molten metal in the joint. As the metals cool, the parts fuse, forming a very strong, permanent bond. The most common welding processes include:
- SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)
- GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, aka TIG)
- GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding, aka MIG)
- Oxy-Fuel (uses the combustion of Oxygen and Acetylene to heat the workpiece)
- Laser Welding (which uses a laser to heat the workpieces)
Benefits of China Surgical Tools’s Laser Welding Capabilities for Medical Parts
China Surgical Tools provides in-house laser welding capabilities and services with our LaserStar(R) G3 1900 Pulsed Nd: YAG pedestal laser welder. The G3 1900 can produce up to 80 Joules of heat, pulsing from 0.5 – 20 Hertz with a pulse length of 0.2 – 20 milliseconds. Benefits of our medical laser beam welding capabilities include:
- Automation: Workpieces are mounted into a programmed rotary motion device. Circumferential welds of slender components can be accomplished with astounding repeatability.
- Precise Control: A power monitor kit is employed to ensure the correct amount of energy is put into each weld, and immediately notifies personnel of discrepant welds.
- Precision Welds: Stereo microscope coupled with a precise Beam Expander provides precise control of the beam’s focal point, enabling small heat zone, which further increases weld consistency.
- Minimal distortion: Highly focused and pulsed beam produces clean welds with minimal extra heat added. Less heat means results in less distortion and warping of the joined components.
Medical device laser welding is effective when paired with a highly robust quality system, such as China Surgical Tools’s. Whatever your application may be, China Surgical Tools’ engineers and talented operations professionals are determined to help you succeed.
Laser Weld Your Medical Device Component Today
Our quality assurance, lot traceability, and ISO9001:2015 & AS9100 D Certification reflects our ongoing commitment as an innovative precision component manufacturer. Trust China Surgical Tools for all your laser-welded medical device needs today.
Talk with one of our laser welding specialists, or request a quote.