An excellent and long needed presentation of the hazards that are real...very real. I have been an industrial laser user and trained laser safety person for over 30 years now and yes, we have an IPG LightWeld XR. It is a great machine but needs a lot of respect...as does any other laser. The lack of mention of laser safety in so many videos or advertisements is disturbing. The hundreds of laser engravers out there for sale on Amazon etc. are going to be the source of many eye damage incidents if people don't do their homework and treat them right. The laser manufacturers, LIA (Laser Institute of America), OSHA, and several other resources are anxious and willing to assist with keeping safe the people using and learning about lasers. Lasers are definitely a wonderous and magical energy transfer vehicle with many productive a fun applications but there is nothing fun about blindness or even potential poisoning (lasers on vinyl can produce concentrated toxic chlorine gas). Thank you for this video and please be safe out there people!
Thank you for addressing this topic. This video is very helpful as there has been many posts that do not cover any safety hazards or OSHA requirements. I would not say that the Lightweld is more dangerous than traditional welding as much as it is a different danger. IR light will not give you long exposure burns and skin damage like UV light will from traditional welding, but the risk of immediate burns, especially for eyes is higher. If the proper precautions are taken, and if it is used as intended, the user will not be at risk. I work for a distributor for the IPG LightWELD Series welders but I was a welder for many years before I got into Laser welding. I would not be on board with selling these without feeling confident about the multiple safety features and laser shut-off functions that IPG Photonics has built in to their LightWELD Series welders. Anyone selling these machines should be diligent to explain the risks of class 4 lasers and the safety precautions. Every shop buying these machines should establish a Laser Safety Officer who will take laser safety training and be certified as such. Each shop will also need a clearly labeled Laser Containment Area. The LCA does not have to be an elaborate set up, but traditional vinyl weld curtains do not do anything to shield a class 4 laser. You can go as simple as plywood, or laser rated weld curtains, or a custom built room. It is up to the company, but OSHA is looking for a designated LCA so that people do not enter the laser contained area unknowingly. Anyone within the laser safety zone should have properly rated eyewear (certified for 1070 nanometers) whenever the laser is in operation. I PG Photonics has built into their LightWELDs, a key-start system and emergency shutoff button, a four-way safety interlock system to install at the entry of the LCA, and a Part/Contact interlock system where the laser will not fire without the weld head being in contact with the material that is in a closed circuit with the ground clamp. These features help to protect the welder and the people around them. There are some other laser weld machines that do not offer these features and so I do not condone their purchases.
People think because they see laser welding and cleaning videos where they act like the laser is harmless are accurate they are not. Thank you for posting an accurate description of real life requirements.
It’s always best practice to wear safety glasses under your hood in traditional welding or laser. I only allow laser safe glasses into the booth so you can’t mistakenly wear the wrong ones. I have also had light leak through welding hoods and had reflections from behind cause arc burns.
@Weldshilo it is a lightweld 1500..I was welding aluminium bin lids and a lug I was welding had a gap where I was welding I was holding the lid about 10ins from the weld the laser went through the gap and into my finger it is still not healed
@Weldshilo the glove was thrown last week...it was one of the shitty tig gloves...we only have the welder a couple of months and have only used it on a few occasions as we are waiting to get proper extraction put into the room..is there certain gloves needed for it
@@dotsfrazer I have used a variety of different gloves, thickness, material and color I have had a couple reflective strikes that just made the glove feel warm. I have also intentionally hit a glove at about 6 inches away for a 2-3 second burst and never cut through it just burnt the surface. That’s why I was interested in what glove you used and wanted a picture.
This is the first (and only) video that I have seen on what should be the first thing known about Laser welders! Well done for posting this video.
Thanks for the valuable information keep sharing and I will support you ❤
An excellent and long needed presentation of the hazards that are real...very real. I have been an industrial laser user and trained laser safety person for over 30 years now and yes, we have an IPG LightWeld XR. It is a great machine but needs a lot of respect...as does any other laser. The lack of mention of laser safety in so many videos or advertisements is disturbing. The hundreds of laser engravers out there for sale on Amazon etc. are going to be the source of many eye damage incidents if people don't do their homework and treat them right. The laser manufacturers, LIA (Laser Institute of America), OSHA, and several other resources are anxious and willing to assist with keeping safe the people using and learning about lasers. Lasers are definitely a wonderous and magical energy transfer vehicle with many productive a fun applications but there is nothing fun about blindness or even potential poisoning (lasers on vinyl can produce concentrated toxic chlorine gas). Thank you for this video and please be safe out there people!
Thankyou!
Thank you for addressing this topic. This video is very helpful as there has been many posts that do not cover any safety hazards or OSHA requirements. I would not say that the Lightweld is more dangerous than traditional welding as much as it is a different danger. IR light will not give you long exposure burns and skin damage like UV light will from traditional welding, but the risk of immediate burns, especially for eyes is higher. If the proper precautions are taken, and if it is used as intended, the user will not be at risk.
I work for a distributor for the IPG LightWELD Series welders but I was a welder for many years before I got into Laser welding. I would not be on board with selling these without feeling confident about the multiple safety features and laser shut-off functions that IPG Photonics has built in to their LightWELD Series welders. Anyone selling these machines should be diligent to explain the risks of class 4 lasers and the safety precautions.
Every shop buying these machines should establish a Laser Safety Officer who will take laser safety training and be certified as such. Each shop will also need a clearly labeled Laser Containment Area. The LCA does not have to be an elaborate set up, but traditional vinyl weld curtains do not do anything to shield a class 4 laser. You can go as simple as plywood, or laser rated weld curtains, or a custom built room. It is up to the company, but OSHA is looking for a designated LCA so that people do not enter the laser contained area unknowingly. Anyone within the laser safety zone should have properly rated eyewear (certified for 1070 nanometers) whenever the laser is in operation.
I PG Photonics has built into their LightWELDs, a key-start system and emergency shutoff button, a four-way safety interlock system to install at the entry of the LCA, and a Part/Contact interlock system where the laser will not fire without the weld head being in contact with the material that is in a closed circuit with the ground clamp. These features help to protect the welder and the people around them. There are some other laser weld machines that do not offer these features and so I do not condone their purchases.
People think because they see laser welding and cleaning videos where they act like the laser is harmless are accurate they are not. Thank you for posting an accurate description of real life requirements.
You cover a lot of very good points, thank you for posting!
Decent video, thanks 🍕🍻
Great video. Are you wearing the glasses and the hood at the same time? If so, why not just the hood?
It’s always best practice to wear safety glasses under your hood in traditional welding or laser. I only allow laser safe glasses into the booth so you can’t mistakenly wear the wrong ones. I have also had light leak through welding hoods and had reflections from behind cause arc burns.
I burned through my gloves and into my finger with a laser welder I wasn't pleasant it was a really deep burn and happened in the blink of an eye
What brand laser? Was it a diverging beam? Was it from a reflection or was your hand behind the part you were welding?
@Weldshilo it is a lightweld 1500..I was welding aluminium bin lids and a lug I was welding had a gap where I was welding I was holding the lid about 10ins from the weld the laser went through the gap and into my finger it is still not healed
@@dotsfrazer can you send me a picture of the glove. How long ago did this happen?
@Weldshilo the glove was thrown last week...it was one of the shitty tig gloves...we only have the welder a couple of months and have only used it on a few occasions as we are waiting to get proper extraction put into the room..is there certain gloves needed for it
@@dotsfrazer I have used a variety of different gloves, thickness, material and color I have had a couple reflective strikes that just made the glove feel warm. I have also intentionally hit a glove at about 6 inches away for a 2-3 second burst and never cut through it just burnt the surface. That’s why I was interested in what glove you used and wanted a picture.