![]() OSHA sets Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for weld fume as a whole as well as specific components commonly found within weld fume. An efficient dust collection solution for laser welding will help prevent problems with equipment performance and weld seam quality. Dust can build up on the optical lens or in the diaphragm or shutter mechanisms, impacting laser performance or causing unexpected shutdowns. Laser welding emissions may also damage the laser welder. If interference is high enough, the resulting weld may not meet quality criteria for weld strength and precision. That means the beam hitting the material will be less energetic and less precise, which results in a lower quality weld. ![]() A high dust concentration will cause refraction of the laser beam, which diffuses the beam. Uncontrolled weld fumes can build up in the enclosure and interfere with the laser mechanism. Robotic laser welding is typically conducted within an enclosure. How Do Laser Welding Emissions Impact Equipment and Weld Seam Quality?ĭust and fumes from laser welding can cause problems with production equipment. Welding galvanized or coated materials or using fillers produces a higher volume of fume and more hazardous emissions. Metallic weld fume is carcinogenic and has been associated with cancers of the lung, urinary tract and larynx. Many metals and metal oxides are associated with dangerous conditions, including metal fume fever, manganism (a neurological disease similar to Parkinson’s Disease), kidney and nervous system damage, stomach ulcers and lung disease. Depending on the base materials used and coatings present, laser welding emissions may include fumed metal particles and metal oxides of iron, lead, aluminum, cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, zinc, manganese, beryllium, molybdenum and other toxic elements. Laser welding of metals produces toxic particulates similar to those produced by resistance welding.Plastic fumes are also considered to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). When fumed plastics make their way into the bloodstream, plastic exposure is associated with neurological, cardiovascular and immunological problems. ![]() Breathing in microplastics generated by welding plastic can lead to asthma and other lung diseases.The health hazards associated with laser welding fumes depend on the materials used, but may include cancer, lung damage, neurological damage and kidney disease. ![]() These tiny particles can be breathed deeply into the lungs, where they can become lodged in lung tissue or even migrate into the bloodstream and throughout the body. The fumed particles created by the laser are very tiny, often in the sub-micron range. What Are the Health Risks of Laser Welding Emissions?
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