The tried-and-tested Evo2Step joining process is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the field of electromobility. The 2-step welding process for components made of the same material not only saves resources, but is also energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Erlangen, September 2024: Thanks to technical progress and the availability of new materials, direct laser welding is gaining new possibilities. New areas of application are being developed and processed.
In 1-step laser welding processes (laser transmission welding), individual parts that have already been assembled are processed as an assembly. It is essential that one of the components is laser-transparent and the other is laser-absorbent. The laser penetrates the upper component, shines on the absorbing part and melts the weld seam. At the same time, both parts are pressed firmly together with high clamping force. The result is a material-locking connection.
However, if the material thickness of the components in the area to be penetrated is too high or if a laser-permeable material is not available due to customer-specific requirements, 1-step welding processes reach their limits.
Compared to the 1-step joining process, the 2-step joining process, Evo2Step, has almost no restrictions in terms of material thickness, conductivity or color variety. In this welding process, both components are melted separately on the surface in the first step and assembled and pressed together in the second step. The use of components of the same material enables a greater choice of plastics. This means that components from the same injection mold can also be used, as the “laser-transparent” characteristic is not necessary.
The advantages of laser welding remain the same regardless of the process used. For example, heat is applied selectively and in a controlled manner, meaning that the seam width and fusion depth can be defined very precisely.
In contrast to hot gas joining, the Evo2Step process does not require more energy, is low in CO2 and does not require a large investment in clamping tools, gas sources and additional safety precautions. Recently, two projects from the automotive industry were successfully realized with the Evo2Step process and firmly integrated into the customer’s production line. “All design requirements were realized without any restrictions. We were even able to reduce costs thanks to the high energy efficiency of the joining process,” said Managing Director Holger Aldebert.
About EVOSYS:
Evosys Laser GmbH develops and manufactures customized systems for laser welding of plastics at its Erlangen site. With its employees’ many years of market and process experience, the company offers creative and innovative solutions worldwide for integration into automation solutions. A service package ranging from design consulting to sample production in the company’s own technical center rounds off the range of products and services.
The company was awarded the Bavarian Innovation Prize in 2022 for its patented AQW laser welding process. It also received awards in competitions such as the Deutscher Gründerpreis, Bayerischer Gründerpreis and BAYERNS BEST 50. EVOSYS has received the TOP 100 Innovation Champion award for the 3rd time. There are intensive contacts with the university location Erlangen-Nuremberg and the Bayerisches Laserzentrum. The Evosys Group currently consists of four companies, the parent company Evosys Laser GmbH, the subsidiary Evosys Laser Services GmbH and the subsidiaries Evosys (Suzhou) Laser System Co., Ltd. in China and Evosys North America Corp. in the USA.
