INDUSTRIAL CASE STUDYSEALED CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)LASER SYSTEMSOMNISEAL® METAL FACE SEALS

Sealed Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser Systems
Prasad K.R

December 2021

INDUSTRIALMETAL C-SEALSLEAKAGE CONTROL

Environment
Lasers are used in industrial production with high success. Some of the advancements inprocessing industry would not be possible without lasers. Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers areamong the oldest gas-based lasers. The long lasting legacy of carbon dioxide (CO2) has
ensured that their costs remain extremely attractive compared to competing lasers. Theselasers continue to command market share on account of their high, continuous power wave
operations. They are known for their superior power conversion efficiency, and values in therange of 30% have been recorded. This makes them suitable for sensitive applications such as
medicine, as well as demanding applications such as Industrial cutting and welding.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers market is projected to reach $2.2 Billion by 2025 and APAC willaccount for over 60% of sales. Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser sales will be driven by thetraditional segments like Industrial and Automotive. It is also gaining acceptance in othersegments like Energy and Medical which is expected to fuel additional growth.

Challenge
Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers need periodic maintenance due to gas leak, which includes
leakage having consequences on the laser’s output. The power will either decrease over timeor reduce significantly during operation making the laser beam unstable and affecting
production. In addition to these application issues, a couple of hours of downtime is taken toreplenish gas, causing monetary losses.
Sealed carbon dioxide (CO2) laser manufacturers use different sealing techniques to preventleakage. One of the most common sealant material is Indium. Indium is soft andcompressible. Due to the softness of the material, it can extrude between mating parts. The
material also experiences creep or flow, as the laser heats up and cools when it is turned onand off. During assembly at the OEM, if leakage is found in testing, it is difficult to remove
Indium from the groove. A lot of time is spent in rework of the laser system. Working withIndium is a challenge, especially in clean room where these lasers are manufactured.

Solution
Metal seals can solve challenges created by the use of
conventional sealing materials such as Indium and others.
For more than four decades, we have been producing resilient,custom-designed C-Seals that are reliable, easy to install, workwith and most importantly, achieve low leakage with minimum
load (70-80 N/mm circumference). The metal C-Seals aremanufactured in Inconel® material and given tin coating. With
our designs, carbon dioxide (CO2) manufacturers are able toachieve leakage less than 10x10-10 cc/sec He ATM.

Benefits•

No need of gas replenishment during the lifetime of the system•

Custom designed, reliable solution•

Support from global technical teams with agile manufacturing sites in Orange, CT, USA;and Mechelen, Belgium•

Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser system users enjoy low running, maintenance and service costs

Design Expertise & Tailor-madeSolutions for Your Critical Applications
Omniseal Solutions™ is a global engineering leader withover 65 years of historical legacy, relentlessly dedicated tothe design and manufacture of precision sealing andmaterial solutions that protect critical applications in themost demanding environments and passionately driven topush Beyond the Boundaries of Possible.

About the Author
Prasad K.R
Market Manager - Industrial
Bengaluru, India+91 98803 43442
Prasad.KR@saint-gobain.com

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