Kemppi Launched New Laser Beam Welding System

Kemppi has launched FastBeam 3, a new 3 kW handheld laser beam welding system designed to bring the productivity of laser beam welding to industrial fabrication with a strong focus on usability, process control and safety. The launch marks Kemppi's entry into handheld industrial laser beam welding, extending the company's expertise into a technology designed to help manufacturers increase productive capacity and rethink the economics of the finished weld.

Designed for steel, stainless steel and aluminium, FastBeam 3 gives manufacturers an additional process option alongside MIG/MAG and TIG. In suitable applications, higher welding speeds and controlled heat input can help shorten welding times, limit distortion and reduce corrective work.

Equipped with a water-cooled fiber laser source, FastBeam 3's Penetration Shape Control allows adjustment of beam shape, balance, oscillation and power, while Weld Assist guides users towards suitable welding parameters. The system includes the water-cooled LT3 handheld welding torch, CoolFeed 300 wire feeder and touchscreen ControlPad. An external chiller can be positioned outside the immediate welding area, helping reduce heat and noise while improving service access.

10 times faster than TIG in welding speed

In Kemppi’s comparative tests on 1–3 mm steel plate fillet welds, laser beam welding achieved up to approximately 2.1 times the MAG welding speed and around 10 times the TIG welding speed, depending on test conditions. Based on the measured speeds in the 2 mm test, completing 10,000 welds of 200 mm would require approximately 39 welding hours with laser, compared with 58 hours using MAG and 312 hours using TIG. These figures cover welding time only; actual production results depend on the application and complete manufacturing workflow.

“The real value of faster welding is what manufacturers can do with the time they get back,” says Matti Narhi, Product Manager at Kemppi. “It can mean completing another batch, shortening lead times or creating capacity for the next customer project. We developed FastBeam 3 to bring those benefits into real industrial production.”
Built for industrial use

Handheld laser welding introduces different safety requirements from conventional arc welding. FastBeam 3 includes clear machine status indication, controlled laser activation after torch contact and redundant automatic power cut-off functionality. Appropriate laser protective helmet and eyewear are included as part of the system concept.

(Source: Kemppi Oy)