Nitrogen Generators – Cut Your Laser Welding Gas Costs
| 17, Mar, 26
The Importance of Shielding Gas in Laser Welding
If you own a laser welding machine, shielding gas is an indispensable consumable. Gas serves three key functions during laser welding.
First, cooling. As we all know, laser equipment generates extremely high temperatures. The gas flowing through the heat sink dissipates heat to a certain extent and helps cool the laser generator.
Second, removing welding spatter and residues. Whether laser welding stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized sheets, splashes will form around the molten pool and produce welding residues during operation. Shielding gas blows away these impurities to deliver smoother weld beads.
Third, anti-oxidation. The high heat produced during welding can trigger oxidation reactions between the workpiece material and components in the air. Nitrogen, an inert gas, forms a protective barrier via continuous purging to avoid oxidation of welds.
Gas Cost Estimation
Based on experimental data, the average gas flow rate ranges from 12 to 18 liters per minute at a welding speed of 1 meter per minute. For conservative calculation, we adopt a flow rate of 8–15 L/min.
Commercially available nitrogen cylinders come in capacities of 40 L or 50 L. Under our conservative estimate, a single cylinder will be exhausted after just 5 minutes of continuous welding.
In certain regions of North America, one nitrogen cylinder costs between 400 and 500 US dollars; prices vary, with some areas charging less and others far more.
Nitrogen Generators Are Your Top Choice for Gas Cost Savings
The special nitrogen generator for laser welding from XsafeLab can produce 1 cubic meter (1,000 liters) of nitrogen per hour.
And this only costs your electricity. The device uses just 20W. Of course, besides the upfront cost of buying the device, I believe the cost is clear—you just need to compare your gas and electricity costs.
I believe with the information above, you'll make a wiser choice.
