When this configuration makes sense
- ✓Repeatable parts that qualify for a laser process
- ✓Companies planning to automate welding of thin, precise parts
- ✓Cells that use welding, cleaning or cutting separately
Robotic 3-in-1 laser
Robotic laser welding
The cobot guides the head, RayTools controls the process, the WLS-2000 provides the source.
The actual configuration combines the Fairino FR5-WML arm with the WLS-2000 unit. Welding, cleaning and cutting are separate operating modes of the unit.
- • Deployment and laser training
- • Online instructional materials
- • 5 years of technical support included in the kit price
Source power
2000 W
Source
MAXphotonics
Head
RayTools BW101-GS
Arm
FR5-WML / 1900 mm
When to automate the laser
Process qualification first, then the path
The laser does not replace MIG/MAG in every task. It makes sense where the part qualifies for the laser process and the geometry repeats often enough for a programmed path to have an advantage over manual guidance.
When to choose a different solution
- -Work without a risk assessment and Class 4 laser safeguards
- -Processes that expect the three modes to run at the same time
- -Applications where a handheld laser welder is enough
The key limitation
This is a robotic cell, not a handheld laser welder placed next to the arm. It requires part qualification, a Class 4 laser zone design and separate operator training.
Cell layers
The laser process has its own control
This is not one device with one panel. Four layers are responsible for different things, and this separation determines how the cell is operated.
- Cobot
- Guides the head along the programmed path and is responsible for repeatable motion.
- WLS-2000 unit
- MAXphotonics 2000 W source, RayTools BW101-GS head, chiller and wire feeder.
- RayTools
- Controls the laser process parameters. The Welderstal welding plugin does not operate the laser.
- Cell
- Zone, guards, interlocks and procedures - designed for the specific shop-floor layout.
01
02
03
04
3-in-1 laser
Three modes, never three processes at once
Welding, cleaning and cutting are three separate configurations of the same unit. You choose one and select the parameters and cell preparation for it.
Mode 01
Welding
Joining thin and precise parts. The wire feeder adds filler to the weld where the gap requires it.
Mode 02
Cleaning
Removing rust, mill scale and coatings without mechanical treatment and without abrasive.
Mode 03
Cutting
Cutting sheet metal within the power range of the unit, along the same programmed path.
This is not parallel operation
The modes cannot be combined in one cycle. Changing the mode means different parameters, different part preparation and a different assessment of the cell.
Class 4 laser
Safety is part of the cell design
A Class 4 laser beam is hazardous to the eyes and skin, including after reflection from the part surface. The extent of safeguarding is defined for the specific shop-floor layout, not taken from a catalogue.
Zone and guards
The extent of fencing and the windows with laser filter are defined for the cell.
Interlocks and signalling
Access interlock while the laser is operating and clear indication that the unit is working.
Operator qualifications
Laser training is separate from MIG/MAG training.
Protective equipment
Safety glasses matched to the wavelength and power of the source.
The Welderstal welding plugin does not control the laser process - that is done by the RayTools software supplied by the head manufacturer.
Scope of delivery
What the cell includes
The scope is stated openly, so that a complete laser cell is not confused with just the unit standing next to a cobot.
In the configuration
- ✓Fairino FR5-WML arm and WLS-2000 unit
- ✓MAXphotonics 2000 W source, RayTools BW101-GS head and chiller
- ✓Single-spool wire feeder, starter lens kit and safety glasses
- ✓Documentation, training materials, commissioning and training
- ✓5 years of technical support included in the kit price
To be assessed or selected
- -Safeguard design and organisation of the Class 4 laser zone require a cell assessment
- -Laser training is separate from MIG/MAG training
- -The Welderstal welding plugin does not control the laser process - RayTools does
Two different working models
Robotic cell vs. handheld unit
These are not two versions of the same solution. They differ in who guides the head, and in what that means for repeatability.
| Criterion | Handheld unit | Robotic cell |
|---|---|---|
| Who guides the head | The operator, by hand | The cobot, along a programmed path |
| Repeatability | Depends on the operator | Repeatable from cycle to cycle |
| Typical use | Short and varied welds, service work | Series with fixed part geometry |
| Preparation | Short deployment | Process qualification and a trial on the part |
| Laser zone | Required | Required, designed together with the cell |
If the welds are short, varied and infrequent, a handheld laser welder is often the more sensible choice. A robotic cell pays off with series production and repeatable part geometry.
Trial data
The process has to be confirmed on a real part
The laser is sensitive to edge preparation and fit-up. That is why qualification ends with a trial on your part, not with a claim from a datasheet.
01
Material and thickness
Type of steel or alloy and dimensions
02
Weld type
Butt, fillet, lap
03
Edge preparation
Gap, fit-up and surface cleanliness
04
Length and path
Weld sections and head access
05
Batch size
Part repeatability and work rate
06
Space for the cell
Room for the cobot, the unit and the zone
Other kits
If the process does not qualify for the laser
We build MIG/MAG welding kits on a WS cobot selected for the process. This laser kit works only on the WS-5 WML arm, because that is the configuration with the WLS-2000 unit.
Base variant
Basic kit
A cell ready for a MIG/MAG unit, without an additional axis.
See the kit
Linear axis
WS kit + linear track
The cobot travels along a long structure or between stations.
See the kit
Rotary axis
WS kit + positioner
The part rotates in the chuck while the torch keeps a fixed position.
See the kitFAQ
Questions about the robotic laser
Which cobot goes into this kit - WS-5 WML or WS-5?
Your choice. The WS-5 WML is based on the Fairino FR5-WML arm with 1900 mm reach and ±0.1 mm repeatability. The WS-5 is based on the FR5: 922 mm and ±0.02 mm. The rest of the kit is the same, and we match the arm to the part size and required accuracy.
How does the cobot mounting differ between the two versions?
We supply the WS-5 WML kit on PIN 28 locating pins. With a 1900 mm reach a magnetic foot cannot hold the cell base, so it is not used in this version. The WS-5 kit can work on a magnetic foot or on the PIN 28 system.
Does the kit include commissioning and training?
Yes. The scope covers preparing and commissioning the kit, operator training, certification appropriate to the cell and 5 years of technical support included in the kit price.
Do welding, cleaning and cutting work at the same time?
No. They are three separate configuration modes of the unit. Parameters and cell preparation are selected for the chosen process.
Does the cell require safeguards?
Yes. This is a Class 4 laser. The zone, guarding, interlocks, procedures and operator qualifications are defined for the specific cell.
Laser process qualification
Send the part, material and weld requirements
Based on this we will assess whether the process qualifies for the laser, and propose the scope of the trial and the cell preparation.
Send a part for qualification