Laser Micro Welding Challenges

Welding very small assemblies has inherent obstacles that make it a difficult and complex process, requiring an extra level of skill beyond welding more traditional weld joints. Part damage and deformation caused by excessive heat are concerns when welding small parts. Additionally, handling tiny parts presents a unique challenge, that we’ve developed several methods for, over our 55+ year history. Read more below about these challenges and how we overcome them.

Minimizing Heat Damage

Minimizing heat input is critical for welding micro assemblies, as it is possible to burn the assembly and/or damage internal components if extra attention isn’t paid to protect them.

Traditional forms of welding, such as TIG and MIG welding, flood assemblies with massive amounts of heat and electrical charge, which can damage small, sensitive components. At EB Industries, we utilize different types of lasers to weld parts and electronic packages.

Pulsed lasers apply a minimal amount of heat, which can greatly reduce, if not completely mitigate, material warping and weld shrinkage.

Electric current, caused by traditional TIG/TIG welding, can also damage components. Lasers apply power to the weld area using nothing other than light, which obviates any potential damage that might be caused by electrical current.

Micro Component Handling and Processing

As can be imagined, handling small assemblies is extremely difficult. We’ve welded assemblies in the past where some components are approximately .001″ thick. If parts are dropped or bent due to excessive pressure when handling, it’s almost a guarantee that there will be irreparable damage.

We have experience designing and building vacuum tweezers and other part handling mechanisms to move, position and process micro assemblies with the delicate touch these parts require.

Additionally, our operators and technicians are extensively trained in parts handling, and we have decades of institution experience in keeping customer parts pristine.

At EB Industries, we believe the best way to serve our customers is to have an array of laser welding equipment available to meet the varied requirements of our customers. We also have multiple redundant systems and operators such that our production capability is never compromised.

Micro Welding Application

A common application for micro assemblies is in the medical device industry, where smaller is better when implanting these devices in humans. FEB Industries has welded microchip assemblies that are implanted into the human heart. Any issues with these assemblies, including burning the internal components or creating FOD that could internally short an assembly, can be fatal. In these situations, it's vital to proceed with caution and ensure that inspection has been performed to the highest of quality requirements. Failure is not an option with these assemblies. See This

Quality Assurance

EB Industries utilizes a quality system that meets the highest industry standards, and have designed our business around welding and testing processes that significantly reduce the chances of a weld negatively affecting the integrity of the components. The accreditation and certifications that we have earned over the years prove our reputation and commitment to quality.

  • We are an ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100D, ISO 13485:2016 and NADCAP-certified organization delivering international quality standards.
  • All our welding equipment and operators meet the requirements of the MIL-STD-1595A, AMS-STD-1595A, and AWS D17.1:2017 specifications.
  • Our quality control and inspection system are compliant with MIL-I-45208A standard and metrology program in accordance with MIL-C-45662A standards.
  • We have a long history of meeting proprietary or customer-specified quality standards. For a complete list, see our industry certifications page here.
  • Our customers say the cleanliness of our facility, and our commitment to quality are unmatched in the industry.

For more information on our quality system, please click here.

Typical Micro Welded Parts

We provide micro welding services for the following parts, as well as many others:

  • Alignment Guides
  • Bellows
  • Cannulas
  • Electronic Communication Packages
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Implantable Medical Devices
  • RF Converters / Amplifiers
  • Stents
  • Surgical Instruments
  • Wave Guides