Product category:
Laser and electron beam welding
News Release from: Rofin-Baasel UK | Subject: Laser welding system - jewellry
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 02 February 2007
Laser welding simplifies jewellery
repair
Acquiring a laser welding system has enabled a jeweller to simplify the repair of damaged claws, prongs or shanks without having to remove the gemstones.
David Shone owns the Jeweller, Emson Haig, which has successful retail outlets in the Lakeside Shopping Centre and at Loughton in Essex, UK Last year Shone added to the capabilities of his workshop by investing in a state- of-the-art laser welder, the StarWeld Performance from Rofin-Baasel in Daventry
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 30 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Laser marking system processes 1000 units/min
Laser marking system uses dual axis scanning technology to mark small and large characters on packaging lines at speeds in excess of 1000 containers per minute.
High beam quality pulsed YAG profiles finely
In medical device manufacture, pulsed Nd:YAG lasers now can do the work of profiling increasingly finer, structures.
David said: "I bought one from Rofin-Baasel at Spring Fair, and it's the best thing I have got for my shop in five years.
I say if you have any skill on the bench, you must have one." The laser makes repair of damaged claws, prongs or shanks easy.
The controlled, localised nature of the heat input means that repairs can be effected without the need to first remove sensitive gemstones or enamel.
Chain repair takes a fraction of the time of conventional methods and the results are stronger.
Resizing of platinum or gold rings by welding with filler wire (of the same material as the casting) allows perfect results to be achieved more quickly than by traditional methods.
The laser is also finding diverse uses such as restoration of antiques, repair of watches and repair of titanium spectacle frames.
As Shone said: "It revolutionised my workshop.
I can repair gold or steel watch cases and put metal back into them.
We also use it to repair platinum rings, which as a consequence of the casting process can have porosity problems." Using the laser is quick and easy to learn - and where platinum is concerned, excellent results are achieved with low power and no oxidisation - so there is normally no finishing required.
Adjusting the spot size and laser parameters is easy using joysticks inside the welder.
The workpiece is viewed using a stereo microscope and the position of the laser weld is precisely set using a fine cross hair.
Laser firing is under the control of a remote footswitch, keeping the hands free to position the parts in the weld area.
After a short training course, an inexperienced operator can achieve excellent results.
Rofin-Baasel was the first company to introduce such laser welders - designed for the workshop, back in the early1990s.
Now, over a decade later, Rofin has over 5,000 such manual lasers installedand the StarWeld Performance is on it 6th generation.
Each iteration of the unit has design improvements that benefit performance or ease of use. Request a free brochure from Rofin-Baasel UK ...
• Rofin-Baasel UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
