According to the “14th Five-Year Plan for the Steel Structure Industry and the 2035 Vision,” China’s steel structure industry has achieved steady growth during the 13th Five-Year period, with annual production increasing from 51 million tons to 89 million tons, and output surpassing 600 billion yuan. Facing the vast industry chain and numerous manufacturing processes, laser processing technology is becoming a key driver of the industry’s transformation and upgrading, thanks to its high precision, speed, and efficiency. Among these, laser cladding, as an important branch of laser processing, shows unique value in steel structure manufacturing and repair.

Laser Welding Technology: Application and Development

Welding is an indispensable process in steel structure manufacturing. Traditional welding methods often have limitations when dealing with complex structures and large workpieces, including complicated operations, large space requirements, and high demands on the base material’s processing precision. Laser welding, with its advantages of non-contact, high-speed, high-precision, and minimal thermal deformation, is playing an increasingly important role in steel structure manufacturing. Currently, pure laser welding applications are still rare, with most systems using laser-arc hybrid welding. Notably, laser cladding technology also offers unique advantages in welding repair and surface enhancement, especially for local repairs and performance improvements of large structural components.

Laser Hardening Equipment Features

Greenstone-tech’s hardening equipment uses advanced lasers, high-end industrial robots, and control systems to build a multi-axis flexible laser processing system, which can be customized according to the shape and process requirements of the parts. This equipment is not only suitable for laser hardening and repair of complex and irregular parts like molds but also provides a reliable platform for the integration of laser cladding.

Key advantages of the equipment include:

High laser hardening power density with fast cooling speed, eliminating the need for water, oil, or other cooling media.

Uniform hardening layer with a hardness 1-3 HRC higher than induction hardening.

Minimal workpiece deformation, with controllable heating depth and trace.

Especially suitable for surface treatment of high-precision parts.

Notably, this platform also supports laser cladding, enabling the integration of hardening and cladding in a single system, providing a more comprehensive surface treatment solution for steel structure manufacturing.

Laser Cleaning in Steel Structure Maintenance

During the long-term use of steel structure systems, surface coatings often suffer from peeling, oxidation, and corrosion due to environmental and construction factors. Laser cleaning technology can precisely locate and remove surface rust and oxidation layers, with pollutants being collected to prevent environmental contamination. This process provides an ideal solution for surface pretreatment before laser cladding repair, ensuring a strong bond between the cladding layer and the base material.

Greenstone-tech’s cleaning equipment features a trolley design for easy mobility. It integrates a 100W/200W pulsed fiber laser and supports AC220V power supply. The cleaning head can be easily integrated into robots or machine tools. Its spiral cleaning method effectively prevents surface color differences, and the Gaussian beam mode delivers excellent rust removal and stainless steel weld cleaning effects, laying a solid foundation for subsequent high-quality laser cladding repair.

The Comprehensive Value of Laser Cladding Technology in Steel Structure Manufacturing

With the goal of reaching 140 million tons of steel structure consumption and a 15% share of new building steel structures by 2025, the industry’s demand for high-performance, high-efficiency manufacturing technologies is increasingly urgent. As an integral part of laser processing systems, laser cladding technology plays an irreplaceable role in steel structure repair, surface enhancement, and functional re-manufacturing. This technology is not only suitable for manufacturing standard structural components but also offers significant advantages in on-site repair and remanufacturing of large steel structures.

By using laser cladding, functional layers with specific properties can be applied to the surface of steel structures, effectively enhancing wear and corrosion resistance and extending service life. This technology has shown good economic feasibility and technical viability in the repair applications of large steel bridges, building trusses, and heavy industrial steel structures.

Corporate Technology and Service Capabilities

Greenstone-tech, a high-tech company specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of automated laser equipment, has extensive expertise in laser cladding equipment, high-speed laser cladding systems, laser hardening equipment, laser welding equipment, and 3D printing technology. The company places a strong emphasis on innovation and R&D, with its engineering team covering the entire process from the development, design, testing, to after-sales service of laser cladding systems, providing clients with comprehensive laser additive manufacturing solutions.

With strong technical capabilities, flexible delivery options, and a comprehensive service system, Greenstone-tech is committed to promoting the large-scale application of laser cladding technology in steel structure manufacturing and repair. The company provides key technological support for the industry’s standardized, universal, information-based, and intelligent development.