What is a pillow plate laser welding machine
Models, widths and output are on the pillow plate laser welding machines page.
Keppels builds 1500 mm / 59 in. and 2000 mm / 79 in machines, single or dual head, with IPG fiber lasers and hydraulic multi-point clamping. Dual head raises output by about 40 percent.
Figure: pillow plate machines.
What the machine is
A CNC machine that clamps two sheets and welds programmed spots, lines and borders. Keppels delivers mechanics, IPG fiber laser, hydraulic clamping, Beckhoff CNC and HMI, software, stainless safety cabin, CE file, operator training, heat-transfer calculation support and process know-how. Dual head is two heads on one gantry, not two machines. A handheld laser welder cannot make these plates.
Pillow plates are laser-welded on a Keppels K1500 or K2000 pillow plate laser welding machine.
Why fiber and why hydraulic clamps
Fiber converts electricity to light more efficiently than CO2 or old lamp-pumped YAG; the beam travels in a glass fiber. Keppels uses hydraulic clamp units across the width instead of one long bending beam. High-power welding lasers are Class 4; ordinary acrylic does not block fiber light; the cabin contains beam and reflections.
CAD, skill, utilities
Pattern changes are software. Work prep owns CAD; the operator runs clamp, heat and transport. Hall space, electrical supply, laser cooling and compressed air are quoted per machine. One head can often continue if the other is down. Exact laser power is sized in the quotation.
