FLW ENSISe M1 fiber laser welder means speed and flexibility

Capable of the most complex welding tasks, yet simple to operate, the FLW ENSISe M1 robotic welder gives fabricators a high-speed, high-quality weld system that serves many purposes and works on different materials. It does fusion welds, tack welds, and fills with equal precision and at speeds that will impress operators, production managers, and clients.

At the core of the system is the tried-and-true AMADA ENSIS technology, which has been deployed in AMADA laser cutters for years, and has been a key component in the laser welding products. The ENSIS fiber laser engine has a Variable Beam Control unit which alters the beam properties to match the material thickness. The beam’s shape and thickness are adjusted in making these changes. The use of ENSIS technology means high-speed welding in thin material, and consistently high-quality welds on thick plate.

Where laser meets metal

Another important feature of the FLW ENSISe M1 is the patented rotating lens. Imagine a laser beam going along a path. Now imagine that the laser beam circles within a small area as it is welding—instead of defining a line. The circular motion is accomplished by a rotating lens within the laser head. This is particularly helpful when welding large or uneven gap sizes while producing a clean, even weld. The rotating lens and circular path also manage heat effectively, resulting in precisely defined weld edges with virtually no excess deposits of material.

Two other features further improve things exactly where the beam meets the material. When the welding conditions are set on the AMNC 4ie control, the FLW’s NC Focus Control uses this information to adjust the focusing lens to an optimum position above the material. This feature also automatically outputs a narrow welding beam, or a wider beam to weld radius corners.

The other capability, Continuous Waveform welding, addresses shortcomings of pulse welding. There is no time during which the beam is switched off, giving the operator high speed because of higher average power applied to the job. Rather than creating gaps (as in pulse welding), a continuous bead is formed. Because of the smooth processing, post-processing tasks are minimized. The operator enjoys increased weld quality, processing speeds and repeatability.

You can switch back and forth between weld types in a single program. The wire feed system included on the FLW ENSISe M1 allows the operator to move between fusion welding to adding filler wire in the same job. The system uses a push/pull shaft motor to evenly bridge gaps on larger weld material. Fusion and fill welding can be intermixed with the wire feed system’s help; the operator can close corners and remove gaps by fusing up to 15% of the material thickness or add up to 25% of filler for a smoother weld. Also, the motor retracts wire from the molten pool, making post-weld processing much cleaner and faster.

The AMADA AMNC 4ie control

One of the most interesting tasks that runs on the AMNC 4ie control is the AI-Teaching Assist System (TAS). TAS combines with other capabilities to teach the robot the best paths and points on the path. Any time the robot diverts from the weld path, a corrective action is to use TAS to adjust the path. By using an included CCD camera, new target points are selected. The points create a new target path, which the robot follows. The system even stores the compensation points with the part program for future use.

Because of the easy-to-use, touch-screen interface, operators find it simple to adapt to work with the AMNC 4ie control. Among their tasks are:

• Load and edit welding programs stored on the control on the company network
• Access a full library of optimized welding conditions that is ready to process a wide range of material types and thicknesses
• Use the Scheduler tab to schedule multiple successive programs to increase automated processing
• Receive automatic email notifications of jobs in progress and maintenance intervals

Additionally, many basic functions of the robotic welder are available to operators as “macros” that are a part of the basic settings of the AMNC 4ie.

A fixture table sits in the front side of the FLW ENSISe M1 fiber laser welder. A setup can be performed while another job is already in the welding enclosure; the table has two sides, one for active work and one for staging upcoming work. The table rotates to switch out the jobs. The table is 1,000mm x 1,500mm (39.37 in. x 59.06 in.).

When the vertical door descends, the entire enclosure (12’ x 12’) is lightproof; no light can escape as long as the vertical door for the work table and the operator access door are closed.

When you think of the possibilities brought by the FLW ENSISe M1, the top-of-mind reasons to consider it include speed (in all aspects, particularly in prep, programming and processing), quality (so many ways to ensure high quality), flexibility (for example, mixing fusion and fill tasks within the same programmed job), and precise control of heat propagation (high in continuous waveform welding, and in general less heat on most welds, meaning less distortion and less cost). For more, see this automated machine in person at FABTECH 2024 Orlando.