GLX Laser Welder High resolution image
Patented STTlr® weld technology scaled up for large-part production
DANBURY, CONN. (March 10, 2018) — Emerson will showcase for first time in the Americas the new Branson GLX Laser Welder Platform at NPE 2018 Booth # 3763. The GLX laser welders are offered in several sizes and deliver clean, high speed laser welding of medium-format and large-format plastic parts with more complex geometries to meet the growing needs of automotive, appliance, medical, filtration and other applications that require particulate-free welds with superior aesthetic quality.
Available in two sizes, the GLX-2 / GLX-3 Laser Welder Platform incorporates advanced features, including Emerson’s patented Branson Simultaneous Thru-Transmission Infrared. (STTIr) process, which heats and plasticizes the entire weld line of two or more-part joints simultaneously. Compared to scan or trace laser welding processes, which must travel the entire length of the weld line to accomplish heating, STTIr results in a much faster and more precise melt of the weld line and a significantly faster weld cycle.
Thanks to this innovation, the GLX-2 / GLX-3 laser welders can now deliver cycle times as fast as seven seconds depending on part material and geometric complexity – a result far faster than trace laser welders of comparable capacity. In addition, their exclusive STTIr technology enables the welders to accommodate variable weld widths, delivering weld depths of 1.0 mm or more, yet holding tight tolerances on weld depths as shallow as 0.05 mm or less.
With over sixteen years’ experience in plastic laser welding, Emerson continues to innovate and provide solutions for the needs of advanced industrial assembly. “Our new GLX laser welders deliver unprecedented weld quality with the ability to produce particulate-free welds and we are excited about being able to bring this to market in a large-format machine,” said Priyank Kishor, director of global product management for Branson Non-Ultrasonics at Emerson Automation Solutions.
The GLX-2 Laser Welder has a high-speed, servo-actuated lift table (1043 mm x 600 mm) with precise, closed-loop control for high output of medium-format parts. With plenty of overhead clearance (1050 mm), the GLX-2 welder can readily accommodate single-cavity or dual-cavity tooling, even for parts with more complex, 3-D geometries. The GLX-2 offers five levels of available laser power – 500W, 625W, 750W, 875W or 1000 W to the weld – and a servo-actuated clamp that can deliver from 1-15 kN of clamping force to meet varied application needs.
The larger GLX-3 welder is designed for large-format parts that require greater laser and clamping power. It offers an even larger (1333 mm x 600 mm) high-speed, servo-driven lift table with a high overhead clearance, capable of accommodating single- or multi-cavity tooling with combined weights (upper and lower) of up to 500 kg. The GLX-3 offers four levels of laser power – 1250W, 1500W, 1750W, and a maximum 2000W to the weld– a wider range of clamping force (1-25 kN), plus closed-loop, clamp-force control to meet the most demanding parts-welding requirements.
The GLX-2 and GLX-3 are designed for easy use, with a 12-inch, color human-machine interface (HMI) screen based on a common global architecture that simplifies training, setup, adjustment and diagnostics. The HMI software can accommodate up to 99 different users with configurable access rights and password-protected logins. Both welders are housed in compact, Class 1 laser-safe enclosures that meet CE and ISO, with twin front doors that contain 3.5mm thick laser-safe glass for process viewing. Machine functions and safeties are managed by an IPC and dedicated hardware safety PLC. The advanced Branson Logic Control System automatically synchronizes door, lift-table, and tooling activities to minimize weld cycle times while maintaining process safety.
Emerson provides a full range of plastic welding solutions, such as the GLX-2 and GLX-3 welders, that are fast, clean and energy efficient, able to stand alone or integrate smoothly into existing automated systems. Clients can leverage Emerson’s unsurpassed industry experience through its network of people, facilities and technical resources in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, gaining the edge they need to manufacture products more efficiently and get to market faster.
