Halvin: Innovative laser welding and cleaning

Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning as Value Creator and Innovation Enabler (Halvin, in Swedish) is a project exploring how handheld laser welding and cleaning can help companies in Norrland become more sustainable, efficient and innovative. Together with Norrlandsnavet, we are working to make the latest technology available to the northern manufacturing industry.

Welding is one of the most fundamental and important methods of joining structures, whether bridges, cars or industrial machinery. Being able to weld with high precision and without unnecessary use of resources is crucial for the industry of the future.

"With handheld laser welding, we can offer a technology that is easy to use, provides high quality and at the same time improves the work environment by reducing both the workload and exposure to harmful fumes," says Jan Frostevarg, assistant professor and researcher in laser welding.

The manufacturing industry in northern Sweden faces challenges such as reducing resource use, improving quality and creating a better working environment. By using handheld laser welding and cleaning, companies in the region can solve many of these problems in a smart and efficient way. The technology is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and helps reduce environmental impact.

What is handheld laser welding and cleaning?

Welding is the most common method of joining parts and is used in everything from buildings and bridges to vehicles and industrial machinery. There are around 25 000 welders in Sweden, but around 250 000 people weld in their work without calling themselves welders, which underlines how important and widespread the technique is.

Handheld laser welding is a technology that combines precision and flexibility. It makes it possible to weld thin sheets and materials that are otherwise difficult to work with, such as aluminium. The technique is easy to learn and is much less physically demanding than traditional welding. It also produces significantly less fume.

Laser cleaning can remove rust, dirt and oil residues quickly and effectively. This is especially good for stainless steel because it avoids the use of harsh chemicals. This results in both a better working environment and less environmental impact.

Benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises

Through the Halvin project, we want to help small and medium-sized enterprises in Norrland to:

• Increase productivity and quality in production.
  
• Reduce energy consumption and resource use.
  
• Integrate new materials and create new design solutions.
  
• Improve the working environment by reducing the use of chemicals and reducing smoke.
  
• Cooperation and development.

We work with small and medium-sized enterprises in the region to identify their needs and develop solutions that make it easy to adopt the new technologies. We are also conducting case studies to better understand the specific challenges and applications of these companies. The results will be disseminated through workshops, seminars and training packages.

We are also holding workshops for teachers of secondary school industrial programs, so that their students – the welders of the future – gain knowledge of modern technologies.

The goal with Halvin

Our goal is to make Norrland a knowledge center for this new technology, so that our manufacturing industry can become more sustainable and competitive in the global market.