by Ken Holt, Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc. Question: Fractures in Welding While using ultrasonics to weld our parts, we see fractures occasionally. The part is made of a high temperature amorphous plastic and the cracks always occur in the same area. What is happening here? The first step in analyzing this failure is to isolate the area(s) that is involved and look at its … [Read more...] about Ask the Expert: Ultrasonic Welding
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Three-Dimensional Laser Welding
by Jerry Zybko, LEISTER Technologies, LLC and J.W. Chen, LEISTER Process Technologies Utilizing laser as a method to join plastic components is growing in popularity. The ability to create clean, strong, and consistent hermetic seals is very attractive to manufacturers. However, clamping the components to create good physical contact between the parts (one of the necessary … [Read more...] about Three-Dimensional Laser Welding
Plastic Welding: Optimal Joint Strength is Rare in the Real World
by Tom Kirkland Plastic welding is usually the last step in an entire sequence of manufacturing processes. It is also last in a sequence of design decisions that must logically begin and end with utility, marketability, and profitability. This means that, unfortunately, the possibility of obtaining laboratory-like optimal joint strength in the finished product is next to nil. … [Read more...] about Plastic Welding: Optimal Joint Strength is Rare in the Real World
Ultrasonic Plastic Welding: Weld Processing Modes, their Descriptions, Functions and Applications
by Kenneth A. Holt, Herrmann Ultrasonics, Inc. Modern ultrasonic welding systems are capable of processing a wide array of thermoplastic parts and materials by using different welding modes. Determining which mode of operation can be intimidating to the user uninitiated with the strengths, applicability, and intricacies of each. Welding by time, energy output, peak power … [Read more...] about Ultrasonic Plastic Welding: Weld Processing Modes, their Descriptions, Functions and Applications
Staking & Insertion – Why Heat is the Better Choice
by Michael J. Brunetti Back in the mid- to late 1960s, most molders and product designers thought that heat insertion and even heat staking were non-repeatable, unreliable or inconsistent methods of installing metal inserts into plastic or staking over of plastic posts. This was due to a few factors. First, ultrasonic technology was sweeping the country – billed as a "fix all" … [Read more...] about Staking & Insertion – Why Heat is the Better Choice