Articles and Technical Document

Transparent Laser Plastic Welding: Clear Polymer for Bonding Medical Devices

A break-through in laser plastic welding technology has opened new doors for bonding of transparent polymers. This is great news for the medical device industry, which already benefits from the clean, precise and relatively error free process of traditional laser welding, now with even fewer restrictions.

Robot-Guided Halogen and Laser Light
By RALF HÖGEL
Kunststoffe international, January 2011

Car headlights and other automotive lights in sheet metal and glass are a thing of the past. Today, it is plastics that dictate automotive design. A ready-to-use hybrid welding system has now opened new scope for the size and design of the lights. The concept behind the system incorporates the full welding technology in an industrial robot – including the quality assurance. In this way, the rapidity and flexibility of the six-axis robot can be exploited by the welding cell in its entirety.

Plastics Welding: The Choices Widen
By Peter Mapleston
Plastic Engineering, April 2008

The many ways to weld plastics include well-established technologies such as heat staking, hot-plate, ultrasonic and vibration welding, recently adopted methods like infrared and laser welding, and technologies looking for applications, such as microwave welding. You’d think that’d be enough; you’d be wrong.

Hybrid Laser Welding of Polymers
By Rene Geiger, Oliver Brandmayeer, Frank Brunnecker
Industrial Laser Soluctions, June 2008

Most plastic welding systems sold today involve machinery that employs either friction or hot-plate welding technology. These systems involve a contacting operation of an application-specific tool with the workpiece, causing either high mechanical loads on the workpiece or material partially adhering to the tool. If these deficiencies are decisive criteria in the choice of a joining method, a contactless transmission welding technology using infrared radiation promises to be an interesting alternative approach.

The Perfect Weld
By Tony Deligio
Modern Plastics Worldwide, November 2007

That’s the goal, however elusive, suppliers of plastics-joining equipment strive toward continually expanding their technology repertoire in an attempt to answer changing questions from new materials and compounds.

Hybrid Laser Welding

This document outlines the guidelines of laser hybrid welding, specifically in regards to exterior automotive lighting; giving designers and engineers the knowledge they require to navigate lighting development for laser hybrid welding during the concept and design phase.

Complete the contact form to view the Getting Started with Laser Plastic Welding video. This video will show you how to select and test plastic materials, create test welds, optimize your design, build prototype runs, and plan for mass production. Whether you’re new to laser welding or are already a seasoned veteran, this video will provide you with a clear path to a successful laser plastic welding project.