Which welder is right for me?

This answer comes down to two main questions that you need to ask yourself:

1. What are my main uses for the machine? and 2. What is my budget? Here are some example scenarios – (1. I am only working with silver and only doing repairs and I have a very strict budget.

2. I will be using this for all metals and all types of repairs and maybe do some sculpting and random jewelry design on the side and I do have a pretty strict budget.

3. I will be using this for all metals and all types of repairs and maybe do some sculpting and random jewelry design on the side and I do not have a strict budget). If you are the first person then we recommend starting with a basic pulse arc welder like a 100c or a mPulse.

Let these machine pay for themselves through the work you are able to do and then decide if you need one of our more advanced machines that will provide greater precision and efficiency. If you decide you want a more advanced machine trade your old one in for a credit to one of our more advanced systems.

If you are person 2 then we would recommend you do the same thing but start with a 150s or a 200i2 and allow yourself to have me versatility and precision now. You can also trade your unit in for a credit to a more advanced system if you decide to in the future.

If you are person 3 then we would suggest that you get a laser and a pulse arc welder. It’s kind of like how you diversify your financial portfolio. Its good to have stocks, mutual funds, real-estate, etc because you never know what is going to come up and by having everything you need in your portfolio, you are always ready for any situation.

By having a laser and a pulse arc welder you are also ready for any situation, you will literally have a complete workshop with a solution to every application, design, repair, creation, invention, you name it!

Welding vs. Soldering

Pulse arc welding performs metal to metal fusion and provides stronger weld joints. No flux or prep work is needed when pulse arc welding. Users can simply weld the two workpieces together (even when they are dissimilar metals) and then buff and polish them. No pickling or acid baths required when pulse arc or laser welding.

Pulse arc and laser welders provide a very small and localized heat affected zone, giving users the ability to weld areas without removing precious stones, rubies, pearls, etc.

Pulse arc and laser welders will weld all metals, including Titanium.

Pulse arc and laser welders require no flames or flammable gases.

Pulse Arc (Micro Tig) vs. Laser

Pulse arc and Laser welders produce very similar results. However, the way the pieces are fused together is very different. Lasers use a light beam and pulse arc welders use electricity and an arc to fuse the metal together. Lasers can control their weld spot size and the amount of energy that is discharged into the weld independently while pulse arc welders can only control the energy. More energy equals a larger spot size on a pulse arc welder and less energy equals a smaller weld spot size.

Pulse arc welding systems allow users to achieve deeper penetration, especially on silver. Sometimes the light beam on a laser will reflect off of silver and not penetrate the metal as well as a pulse arc system. Pulse arc systems are known for being the welder of choice when working with silver.

Lasers can be used to smooth out and polish areas that have been welded together that are rough by widening the laser beam and turning the energy down. Pulse arc welders can be used to smooth weld areas as well but can take a bit more time then on a laser. The only exception being on silver.

Pulse arc welders will only weld conductive materials. This can be nice when diamonds, rubies, or pearls are close to the welding area. If a laser beam accidentally touches one of these items it will weld it. If the tungsten electrode of a pulse arc welder touches a diamond, ruby, or pearls a weld will not occur. Both systems can control their energy to lower levels in order to work close to diamonds, rubies, and pearls without damaging them.

Pulse arc welding systems require that the user attaches a grounding clip to the workpiece and must touch the workpiece to the tungsten welding electrode in order for a weld to occur. Lasers do not require a grounding clip and will weld anytime the user presses the foot pedal.

Yes, Orion systems are very versatile. Filler wire can be used to add metal to a weld location. In Tack Mode, filler wire or sheet filler can be permanently affixed to a location. Wire sizes up to and greater than 1mm in diameter can be added.

However, the user should select wire diameters that match the size of the feature being welded. Users should also select wire with similar material to that of their workpiece.

For example: when re-tipping a gold ring, 0.25mm gold filler wire is an excellent choice. If filling a large gap in a steel workpiece, 1mm steel wire may be more suitable. Orion systems have the energy and versatility to weld both of these and many more applications with ease.

Custom Weld Equipment, Fixtures and Automation

Sunstone Machining makes custom automation, tooling and fixtures for welding applications. We have over 10 years of experience designing equipment and fixtures for a variety of welding applications.  Put our experience and expertise to work for you!  Use our machine shop services to gear up with all of the fixtures and electrodes you need to make your production process as easy and fast as possible. With our many years of micro welding experience, we have learned what goes into producing superior weld results.
When you use Sunstone Machining to perform your welds we will also quote appropriate weld fixtures and electrode designs to help your project run smoothly and save money.

Do you already do your welding in-house, or would like to bring your welding back to your own facility? Visit Sunstone Engineering for the most affordable and high tech micro welding technologies.  Sunstone Engineering is a world leader in micro welding.  We can find a solution for you.  Sunstone will help you select the best welding technology with our free weld sample evaluation and support.   When you weld in-house, consider using Sunstone to produce professional weld fixtures and setups.  We will help you produce consistent welds while saving you time and money.

We are the micro welding experts. Sunstone is dedicated to providing innovative and versatile products at affordable prices. We specialize in designing, engineering and manufacturing fine spot micro welding solutions. Our product line includes Capacitive Discharge, AC, Laser, and Pulse Arc/Micro TIG welding systems that are used in a variety of research and manufacturing fields and industries.

Over the years, our areas of expertise have grown substantially. The need for micro welding has steadily grown thanks to product and technology innovations that seem to constantly be pushing the limits of how small we make things. As this trend continues to progress, we will continue to be the micro welding experts.

Copper is a notoriously difficult metal to weld.  It has a high thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity.  This means that a resistance welding process generally has difficulty producing enough heat at the copper-weld interface to produce a weld.  What little heat that is produced is quickly wicked away by the surrounding metal.    Copper is also difficult for most laser welders.  The typical YAG laser wavelength is at around 1064 nm.  At this wavelength over 90% of the light energy is reflected away from the surface of the copper.  Green wavelength lasers have been developed to help overcome this problem but their cost is highly prohibitive for most businesses.

Sunstone Engineering has developed a welding technology that overcomes the limitations of both resistance and laser welding.  Sunstone’s Orion EV welding system uses pulse arc technology to melt the copper sheet in a spot and gently lay that molten material down on a battery can surface.  As with other pulse arc welds, the weld happens quickly and the energy added in the form of heat to the battery is very low.  The end results is a high conductivity copper sheet can be welded easily to a steel or nickel battery can surface in thicknesses that are much larger than traditional resistance welding of nickel tabs.  This thicker, highly conductive copper can reduce the power drop in the battery pack significantly – especially for high current batteries packs.  This means cooler batteries, longer battery life, more voltage, current, and power from your packs!

Sunstone Machining can weld your copper battery packs.  We have the equipment expertise, and experience to produce great weld results.  Our quote will also include any fixtures necessary to produce your battery pack.   If you would like to do your own copper battery pack welding we are happy to support you. Use Sunstone’s Orion EV welder to bring your copper battery pack production in-house.  Call us to find out the best solution for your company.

FAQ – Orion Pulse Arc Welders

Waveforms control how weld energy is released. Multiple waveforms open the door to faster, easier methods of welding your workpieces. The new waveforms (Triangle and Square) found exclusively on the Orion 200i² allow users to weld difficult metals better than before. Welding silver is now easier with these new options offered by Orion. If users don’t know which waveform to select, don’t worry, we give the best waveform suggestion on the “Metals” screen.

FAQ – Metals

Sunstone systems weld a wide variety of materials. Refer to the videos page to see the many different types of materials that Sunstone products can weld. Keep in mind that some materials and alloys will be difficult to weld. If you are not sure about your application, give us a call or send in samples for a free weld evaluation.