The torch welding gun directs the heated gas toward the work piece surfaces and a rod of filler. Pdf laser plastic welding fundamentals, material compatibility. The co 2 laser was first used for this process, and welding. Although laser welding has a short history in comparison with resistance spot welding and arc welding, accompanying the spread of high power co2 lasers in the 1990s, laser welding became widely applied to welding. In conventional infrared laser welding of plastics, the socalled through transmission infrared ttir laser welding has been. In the infancy of plastic welding, the use of nitrogen proved most successful in preventing material contamination and. Morn handheld fiber laser welding machine is a new type highpower, highend continuous welding tool which adopts a highquality fiber laser source to produce a fiber optic beam. Welding of lightcoloured or transparent polymers, which is particularly required in the medical device industry, is successfully achieved with co 2 laser in the case of welding thin films or more general by using the above. It enables highly efficient and flexible assembly from a smallscale production of parts with complex geometries to a high volume industrial manufacturing, where it can be easily integrated into automation lines. Currently, the two main types of laser welding for plastics are co2 and transmission laser welding. After transmission processing, the light is focused on the workpiece to achieve continuous welding. Diode lasers in plastic welding and selective laser.
Polymer processing xxii 2007 1 carl hanser verlag, munich 43 fig. Contour welding involves relative motion between the laser beam and the thermoplastic parts in a direction perpendicular to the beam of the laser. Color additives can be distinguished between pigments insoluble in plastic and soluble colorants. Welding of plastics is performed by facilitating absorption of laser. A commonly used additive to make plastic absorbent for ir laser light is carbon black typically 0. Laser welding of plastics is now a convenient and flexible technique that is proving popular for joining automotive parts and medical equipment as well as consumer products. Laser welding utilizes a laser beam as a concentrated heat source to join multiple pieces together. Laser marking 2d and 3d laser welding laser sintering laser. In the welding process the laser beam penetrates through the transparent top plastic and absorbs on the surface of the absorbing bottom plastic. Jan 29, 2015 laser plastic welding 101 part 1 duration. Delivering a focused heat source, laser welding creates a strong seam at a high speed. Either fiber, disk, co 2 or diode laser can be used for cw mode welding. In welding of metals, all the laser energy is absorbed on the surface of the metal where as in glasses, part of the energy is absorbed on the surface while the remaining portion is absorbed in the bulk.
In the transmission laser welding technique, a material transparent to the laser wavelength lies on top of an absorbent material. The processes and applications of laser welding are most prominent in the automotive industry, where lasers boost productivity at a low cost when welding. From microfluidic devices, created at unparalleled accuracy, to cleanroom class v applications, impossible with other welding methods. Fundamentals and new developments this paper provides a general introduction to welding fundamentals section 2 followed by sections on a few selected welding processes that have had significant developments or improvements over the last few years. The processes that are discussed are friction welding section 3, hot. Weld quality because the process is nonintrusive, the. Laser welding of plastics uses a near ir laser wavelength to join two optically different plastic materials together with a high energy density laser beam. Laser plastic welding has been around for decades, but with an ever increasing demand for smaller, more intricate and senstive devices, laser plastic welding is growing to become a major. In order to receive highly durable joints with perfect surfaces, overlap and beam transmission weld ing are typically used.
The optical properties of plastics play a key role in determining the results of the laser radiation welding process. Some types of co 2 lasers and special features of co 2 lasers are introduced in the first sections. The concept involves passing a focused laser beam through an upper, laser. The process allows contactfree processing of a wide range of materials in different material thicknesses. Finally, the author explains applications of laser welding plastics using several industrial case studies from the automotive industry, household goods, and medical devices. Laser welding plastic is cleaner, safer, more accurate and more repeatable than other more traditional methods of welding plastic components. Aug 10, 2011 laser plastic welding has been around for decades, but with an ever increasing demand for smaller, more intricate and senstive devices, laser plastic welding is growing to become a major player in. Being such a concentrated heat source, in thin materials laser welding can be carried out at high welding speeds of metres per minute, and in thicker materials can produce narrow, deep welds between squareedged parts. The former is restricted to film applications because the beams penetration is limited.
Laser cut pattern tube laser weld silicone laser cut laser cut laser weld plastic laser cut laser welding good manufacturing practices and tight process controls are applied to all of our customers applications. Laser plastic welding center for laser applications cla. Plastic welding laser welding of plastics is an established process that is increasingly used in different markets and is displacing the traditional welding methods. Cw lasers are typically used for keyholepenetration welding applications. Laser plastic welding leads to low reject ratios and a hygienic, absolutely particlefree, and attractive joining result. When two component plastic parts need to be joined, laser welding employs four basic steps to accomplish the task. The usage of closed loop welding temperature controls allows great process safety and control. In medical device manufacturing, for instance, cleanliness is absolutely mandatory. The concept involves passing a focused laser beam through an upper, laser transmissive part to the interface of the two parts to be joined. In hot gas air welding, the heat transfer medium is a heated gas, in general clean air. As such, it provides comprehensive information on material and process characteristics as well as applications regarding plastic laser welding. Plastic welding we have more than 15 years of experience in developing laser plastic welding processes for welding of both amorphous polymers such as ps, pc, acrylics and semicrystalline polymers such as nylon, pe and pp. It enables highly efficient and flexible assembly from a smallscale production of parts with complex.
Laserinfrared welding typically has weld times from three to five seconds and dukanes laser welding equipment can handle parts from approximately tenthousandths inches thick to onequarter inches thick. Hence, laser welding is particularly well established in this market. Laser welding of plastic materials has a large field of applications in the packaging industry provided that it can compete, in quality and productivity, with currently used industrial methods. On one side, you have to have a welding material that is transparent to the laser radiation and on the other one that absorbs it. As one of the first companies to develop and manufacture laser systems for plastic welding, our. The process is very much different than traditional metal welding. Laser plastic welding clean, safe and stressfree lasermicronics. A distinction is typically made between four versions of laser welding for plastics. Good quality weld is the prime objective of welding process. Hot plate welding is very simple welding process as compared to other plastic welding process and most commonly used.
Quality control laser plastic welding, impossibly consistent. Leister is the only provider of all standard laser welding processes in the industry including two patents for key laser delivery methods mask welding and globo welding. When laser energy is not transmitted, either through choice of radiation wavelength or because of the materials selected, melting starts at the upper surface of the plastic. In regard to quality, speed, and economy, laser welding systems are superior to conventional processes for industrial projects, making laser welding. Laser systems from leister are used in a wide range of industries. Leister technologies has been a global leading provider of plastic welding equipment for over 70 years. General catalog laser plastic welding leister technologies. Pdf plastics laser welding fundamentals, material compatibility chart, joint design, different methods to deliver the energy to molded. The system satisfies in welding of thermoplastics and automated scanner welding through its efficiency and versatility. Furthermore, only few materials combinations are possible for welding dissimilar plastics.
Laser welding is one of the welding methods which are applied in the production of automotive bodies. By applying the adequate settings in your browser you have control over the acceptance of cookies. Expertise in laser technology, optics, precision motion control, clamping, automation integration, and process control set lpkf apart from competitors by offering complete laser plastic. Weld and repair a garbage bin with a plastic welder duration. Integrated laser source pneumatic sliding door available for seated or standing work position cnc controller beckhoff clamping device standard accuracy clamping fixed base plate with glass plate or welding mask movable carrier plate for mounting the work piece fixture guides for stabilization at pneumatic cylinder.
Laser welding of plastic parts has established itself as a robust, flexible and precise joining process. In conventional infrared laser welding of plastics, the socalled through transmission infrared ttir laser welding. The co 2 laser was first used for this process, and welding of thin film is possible. Laser welding is a process used to join together metals or thermoplastics using a laser beam to form a weld. Although there are many methods for joining thermoplastics. In regard to quality, speed, and economy, laser welding systems are superior to conventional processes for industrial projects, making laser welding equipment and services popular offerings for sale.
However, there is also a variety of other additives, including colorings, that are ir absorbent. Laser welding is a widely used jointing technique in many. The book forms a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of the technology and is well tailored to the needs of everyone dealing with laser welding of plastics, in particular engineers in packaging, component manufacturing and in medical technology. The consequent joining method is known as direct laser welding. Because of different pigment additions today plastics. Laser welding of al alloys is also problematic due to its high thermal conductivity and high reflectivity of the laser light, but progress is being made using nd. Laser welding phenomena, which include the interaction of the laser. Laser plastic welding is leaving a noticeable mark in the assembly world. The two parts are joined when the melt zone is produced at the contact interface. Mps laser machine for laser welding of plastic in the quasi simultaneous welding application any welding contours can be realized with the help of scanner heard. Welding of transparent materials using femtosecond laser pulses. You are welcome to try out the following laser applications at the center. The laser welding method has certain clearcut advantages over other methods for welding plastics. Conduction welding occurs at lower power densities or higher welding speeds.
Laser plastic welding, a roughly decadeold assembly method, boasts its own resume of breakthrough applications. The first part of this practical book introduces the structure and physical properties of plastics, before discussing the interaction of material and radiation in the nir and ir spectral range. The unique capabilities of laser processing has solved some of the problems associated with conventional plastic. The unique capabilities of laser processing has solved some of the problems associated with conventional plastic joining. Leister emphasizes consulting good consultation is the cornerstone for. Precise and localized application of energy laser plastic welding a business unit with many years of experience in the laser welding of plastics. Laser plastic welding laser plastic welding definition.
Laser welding has advantages of high speed, high precision, consistent weld integrity, and low heat distortion. Laser plastic welding is a technique by which a laser is used to join generally similar plastic materials, where one piece is semitransparent and the other opaque. Lpkf produces highly reliable systems for the automotive and other industries. Diode lasers in plastic welding and selective laser soldering. Laser plastic welding, also often referred to as throughtransmission welding, is a process of bonding plastic using focused laser radiation. Although there are many methods for joining thermoplastics, laser plastic welding has a few clear advantages for the medical.
This chapter describes carbon dioxide laser co 2 laser welding. Laser welding is an innovative joining technique for plastics and offers advantages that cannot be achieved with any other process at this time. Continuous wave laser welding a laser that can remain continuously on until turned off is known as a continuous wave cw laser. In plastics, laser welding generates a very clean weld. Handbook of laser welding technologies sciencedirect. View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view download pdf.
No filler materials are added during the laser process which minimizes biocompatibility issues for medical submissions. With comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge in a wide range of plastics processing techniques, leister is able to confidently apply multifaceted, big picture solutions with ease. Laser plastic welding for microfluidics applications. Waveguides direct and distribute laser energy simultaneously and homogeneously along the weld line. The vlw1 series proves that using a laser plastic welding system can be smart and effortlessly. Because of different pigment additions today plastics can be welded highly tensile in diverse color combinations. We use cookies to give you a better experience while surfing on our website and we use such data for statistical purposes. Laser transmission welding of thermoplasticspart i.
Laser welding in an innovative joining technique for plastics and offer advantages that cannot be achieved with any other process at this time. Laser plastic welding market is projected to register a cagr. Grewell, abe, iowa state university, 100 davidson hall, ames, ia 50011 usa email. During the transmitting welding the laser beam is transmitted by the first join partner and absorbed by the second join partner. Yag and diode laser characteristics is given in reference 11. It avoids the two thresholds of thermal strain and posttreatment. Application of laser welding technologies to automotive. Laser plastic welding a business unit with many years of experience in the laser welding of plastics. Pdf highspeed laser welding of plastic films researchgate. If you would like more information please inquire about our full design guidelines document. Learn plastic welding weld and repair a garbage bin with a plastic welder duration. Weld quality because the process is nonintrusive, the parts typically exhibit excellent. All materials that can be welded conventionally can also generally be welded with laser welding processes.
The gas usually air is heated by electric heating elements mounted within the welding gun. Pdf laser welding of plastic materials has a large field of applications in the packaging industry provided that it can compete, in quality and. This movement allows a continuously operating laser. Both groups have a strong influence on the laser radiation welding of plastics. Laser plastic welding is considerably more effective in comparison with conventional gluing or ultrasonic welding methods and guarantees highstrength joints without markings and surface damage. Laser plastic welding is a method of bonding two or more thermoplastic components together. Infrared laser welding of overlapped thermoplastics utilizes radiation penetration heating. Presently, researchers are working mainly on the welding of metals. The systems are suitable for a variety of batch and component sizes.
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