Patent ID: 8606093

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a water heater or a steam generator, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a chamber comprising i. a flange arranged at a periphery of an opening provided in a wall of the chamber; and ii. a heating element comprising a main section located inside the chamber and at least one end section exiting from the chamber, wherein the flange protrudes out of a main surface of the wall of the chamber in an axial direction of the at least one end section at the level of the opening; (b) inserting the at least one end section of the heating element through the opening of the chamber; (c) providing a laser beam source; (d) orienting a laser beam from the laser beam source, obliquely in relation to the axial direction of the end section, at a top of the flange; and (e) laser welding the top of the flange to the at least one end section of the heating element to form laser welds that tightly secure the heating element to the chamber.