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. 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” property is not necessary.

2-step joining process “Evo2Step” (980 nm or 1940 nm) – Graphic visualization of the joining principle.

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.

Do you have any further questions or would you like a personal meeting? Then please contact us on +49 9131 – 4088 – 1029 (Mr. Holger Aldebert) or send us an e-mail to sales@evosys-laser.com.