Laser Plastic Welding

There Really is No Alternative to Laser Welding Plastic

Plastic processors need to join plastics together. There are several ways of doing this. On a basic level, simply screwing the plastics together could be an answer but not a problem-free one. Drilling the screw holes may compromise the strength of the material and the screws themselves may corrode over time.

A step up perhaps is to glue the plastic components together. This comes with several drawbacks. First, the additives and solvents used are often detrimental to health. Using glue is a messy business, making it difficult to create a perfect high quality and stable seal. Using screws or glue or both to join plastics is time-consuming and both are consumable items and so are on-going costs.

Ultrasonic and Hot Plate

Ultrasonic welding is a technological advance from screws and glue but still comes with disadvantages. It can create surface damage with associated air-borne particles and joint lines lack precision. There is considerable wear and tear involved in the process and tools, especially tool heads, often require replacing.

Hot plate welding is rather a hit and miss technology. It can handle simple contours but intricate designs are out. The molten plastic that creates the joint can also protrude from it, creating a messy, unprofessional finish.

Laser Welding – a Flexible, Quality Solution

Laser plastic welding is suitable for virtually any plastic joining need. It’s cost-effective – electricity consumption is minimal, there’s no need for tool replacements, there are no consumables and there’s no set-up costs.

Laser plastic welding is flexible. It’s capable of welding virtually any joint – simple or complex, small or large and can handle 3D part geometries. Whatever your plastic welding need, laser welding can handle it; from plastic components to plastic film, plastic parts to plastic tubes.

Made for Process Monitoring

Laser plastic welding is 100% repeatable. When it is combined with multiple, sophisticated online process monitoring techniques the result is excellent quality control and minimal scrappage.

TLM’s product partner, LPKF, is a leader in laser plastic welding systems. To find out more about how laser plastic welding and LPKF’s range of integrated and stand-alone welding systems, please go to the Plastic Welding section of this site or contact sales@tlm-laser.com