There is often a lively debate early in a program when we are discussing the pros and cons of laser welded ring gears vs. bolted ring gears. Just about every company that makes gears has both styles to some extent.

There is no right answer for every application. Mass savings with welding through the use of high-quality welding machines often dominates the conversation, but let’s take a high level look at some of the other pros and cons to consider if you find yourself if this conversation.

 

There are clearly more check boxes in favor of the bolted assembly. However, if someone if offering up 1kg or more in mass savings for a welded assembly, depending on the vehicle, welding very well may be a worthwhile venture. Looking at the comparison, it becomes obvious why companies typically employ both methods. For high performance, lightweight vehicles, laser welding becomes very attractive. For larger, heavy duty type applications where mass does not have as high of a premium, bolting wins the contest. The upside to welding is that after you make the investment, you will always have both technologies available to suit any application that comes your way. In addition, work environments that require source capture in locations where stationary fume extractors are not practical, a professional fume extraction service might be of great help.