Optical Repair Laser Welding
Tips for Basic Eyeglass Repair with Laser Welding
Eyeglasses are very rarely composed of noble metals. Therefore, the alloy is a “mystery.” Most “mystery” metals usually melt at a low temperature, low Voltage (V) and low Milliseconds (MS). That is why it is recommended to begin with very low parameter settings and slowly work up on the Voltage (V) and Milliseconds (MS). Due to the metal densities, there are two basic methods used in repairing eyeglasses.
They are as follows:
Method 1 - Direct Welding
Prepping and Setting the LaserStar
Prep the eyeglasses by lightly filing the broken area to a flush fit. Set the LaserStar to achieve a proper keyhole weld.
Tacking
Tack the frames in two or three places to hold the frames together and check alignment.
Run a Bead
Once the frames are straight, run a welding bead by using the 50% overlap technique to run the bead completely around the broken section.
Filling
Use the LaserStar filler wire that is an appropriate match for the color of the plating, i.e. Gold Plate = 10K YG filler, Silver Plate = Silver Solder or 10K WG filler. Use the same parameter settings that were used for the Keyhole Weld to lie in the filler wire. If the settings are too strong or too weak, readjust the Voltage (V), Milliseconds (MS) or the Beam Diameter (Ø).
Hammering and Smoothing
Increase the Beam Diameter (Ø) and the Hertz (Hz) to smooth, or hammer the filler material. Test the frames to see if they will hold up to average pressure.
Method 2 - Capping
Prepping and Setting the LaserStar
Prep the eyeglasses once again by removing any filler material and/or brittle alloy, making sure the joints once again fit flush. Set the LaserStar to achieve a proper keyhole weld.
Apply filler material to both contact points of the eyeglass frames, making sure there is a small “mound” or “cap” of filler material on each side when finished.
Re-Prep the Eyeglasses
Bring the eyeglasses back to the bench and re-prep them by lightly filing the “mounds” of filler material until the contact points once again fit flush.
Note: Do not remove all of the filler material, just enough to fit the pieces flush.
Welding the Eyeglasses
Once the Keyhole Weld has been established, follow the steps in Method 1. Finished Eyeglass Frame sample below.
