How can we weld stainless steel without causing it to burn?

Welding stainless steel without causing burn-through or heat distortion feels like walking a tightrope—especially with thin materials. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The key to welding stainless steel cleanly is reducing heat input while maintaining penetration. That’s exactly where laser welding machines from Kirin Laser come in.

Even experienced welders struggle with burn-through when using traditional methods like TIG or MIG. In this article, I’ll share how we solve this with laser welding—backed by hands-on experience, customer results, and tips you can apply today.

How to weld without burning through?

Too much heat, too fast—this is the classic way welders burn through thin stainless steel. It’s frustrating, inefficient, and expensive.

To weld without burn-through, reduce peak power, pulse your energy, and control your movement. That’s what laser welding allows you to do—with unmatched precision.

Why Traditional Welding Struggles

TIG and MIG welding rely on arc-based heat, which spreads quickly and affects a wide area. For stainless steel under 1mm, this is a recipe for:

• Edge warping
• Burn-through
• Long post-processing time

Laser welding, especially in handheld pulse mode¹, changes the game. Here's what makes the difference:

Key Benefits of Laser Welding vs. Traditional Welding

Feature	TIG/MIG Welding	Kirin Laser Welding Machine
Heat Affected Zone	Wide	Narrow
Burn-Through Risk	High (especially <1mm)	Low (even at 0.5mm)
Welding Speed	Medium	High
Aesthetic Finish	Often needs rework	Clean, minimal discoloration
Skill Requirement	High	Moderate (easy to train)

One of our customers had constant trouble welding 0.6mm stainless with TIG. Edges were discolored and warped. After switching to our Kirin handheld laser welder², their operators were doing clean, smooth welds within the first hour. They never went back.

What welding technique is best for stainless steel?

Stainless steel needs a welding technique that’s both gentle and strong. That balance is hard to find—unless you’re using a laser.

The best welding technique for stainless steel, especially thin gauge, is pulsed laser welding. It combines low heat input with pinpoint precision.

What Makes Laser Welding Different?

1. Pulse Mode Control

Using pulse mode on a Kirin handheld laser welder³, I can dial down peak power and increase control. This means less energy floods into the base metal all at once. On 0.5mm stainless, I’ve run full shifts without any burn-through or heat warping.

2. Travel Speed Tuning⁴

I slow the travel speed slightly—not to a crawl, but just enough to let the energy settle evenly. It’s a balance: fast enough for production, slow enough for precision.

3. No Filler, No Contact

Laser welding doesn’t need physical contact. There’s no filler wire or tungsten electrode, just clean laser energy. This eliminates contamination and reduces post-cleanup.

4. Narrow Heat-Affected Zone⁵

With TIG or MIG, the heat spreads. With laser, it stays focused. That narrow zone means:

• Less stress on the material
• Cleaner seams
• Reduced chance of corrosion from discoloration

Laser welding isn’t just “an option”—for many stainless applications, it’s the better solution. And once you use it, it’s hard to accept anything less.

%[best welding technique stainless](https://kirinlaser.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/laser-welding-machine-can-use-automatic-welding-head.png" alt="Laser Welding Machine Can Use Automatic Welding Head "pulse laser welding stainless steel")

How to prevent burn through in welding?

Burn-through happens when heat builds up faster than the material can dissipate it. It’s common with stainless because of its low thermal conductivity and reflective surface.

To prevent burn-through, control your heat input with pulsed laser welding, use short duty cycles, and tune travel speed for even distribution.

Dive Deeper: Real Technique, Real Results

The Science Behind It

Stainless steel reflects heat, which means conventional arcs often jump or struggle for stability. Laser energy, however, is focused and tunable:

• Pulse width can be as low as 0.5ms
• Duty cycle adjusts how much energy is released per second
• Spot size is fine-tuned for application (often <1mm)

These factors let me sculpt the weld instead of blasting it.

Field Tip: Dialing in the Laser

Parameter	Setting Example	Result
Peak Power	300W (low pulse)	Avoids instant melt-through
Pulse Width	1ms	Focused delivery
Frequency	20Hz	Balanced for thin sections
Travel Speed	10-15 mm/s	Controlled, consistent melt

On our Kirin handheld machine, settings are intuitive. With 3-5 passes of fine-tuned adjustments, most users hit the sweet spot for stainless. We train clients globally in these best practices—some in just one day.

Success Story

A client in the U.S. was reworking over 20% of TIG-welded parts. After switching to Kirin Laser’s system⁶, burn-through dropped to zero. Not only did they save time, but they also eliminated post-grind rework.

How to remove welding burn marks from stainless steel?

Even with careful welding, heat tint or burn marks can appear. But they don’t have to stay.

To remove welding burn marks from stainless steel, use a laser cleaning machine or apply a passivation treatment. Laser cleaning is fast, contactless, and doesn’t scratch the surface.

Dive Deeper: Why Laser Cleaning Wins

Traditional Cleaning Methods

Method	Pros	Cons
Chemical Pickling	Effective on discoloration	Hazardous, slow, waste-generating
Grinding/Brushing	Cheap and fast	Damages surface, leaves residue
Electrochemical	Clean and uniform	Needs special tools and chemicals

Laser Cleaning from Kirin Laser

Laser cleaning uses a focused beam to remove oxides and burn marks—without damaging the metal below. No abrasives. No chemicals. Just light and speed.

I often pair laser welding⁷ with our compact Kirin laser cleaning module⁸, especially for:

• Food-grade stainless applications
• Visible seams in consumer goods
• High-volume parts with cosmetic finish requirements

How It Works

• Set cleaning power between 150-300W
• Sweep the burn mark area at ~20 mm/s
• Watch the tint disappear in real-time

It’s not just cleaning—it’s restoring value. That’s why many clients bundle both machines together in a single workflow.

Conclusion

Welding stainless steel⁹ cleanly doesn’t have to be a struggle. With laser welding, we reduce heat, avoid burn-through, and leave behind a flawless finish. From pulsed energy control to laser cleaning of discoloration, the technology gives us the tools—and the confidence—to work with even the thinnest stainless without fear. At Kirin Laser, we see this every day in client success stories and field feedback. If you're still battling warping and burn-through, it might be time to upgrade your tools—and your results.