Laser Plastics Welding

Andy Schneider Sales Director Cutting & Structuring

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 Plastic joining processes

1) Heat Heating
mechanism

Conduction Convection Friction Radiation

Hot plate Hot gas Internal friction External friction Infrared

Extrusion High frequency Spin Laser

Ultrasonic Vibration

2) Others (additional material or mechanically)

Gluing Hot melt Screws Clipsing

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 Comparison of joining processes

invest production function

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 Principle of Plastic Welding

laser beam
Material
Type of plastic
pressure
Filling materials,
IR-transparent coloring substances
material
Thickness of the laser
transparent material

Process parameter
IR-absorbing
Laser power [W] material

Speed rate [mm/s] pressure

Joining pressure [N/mm]

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 LPKF Laser Welding Material
Compatibility Chart

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 Level of difficulty

difficult

white / white
No additives allowed

IR-absorbing additive or
absorbers in the joining area for
color 1 / color 1
the absorbing joining partner
color 1 / color 2
laser transparent additive for
the transparent joining partner color / black

black / black
transparent / black
standard-configuration transparent/ black

easy

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 Process variants

Large parts
3-dimensional parts
Contour
Radial welding
welding
Lower expenses
Process control : pyrometer

Scanning area of max 340 mm x 340 mm

2-dimensional contours
Short cycle times Quasi
Large lot sizes simultaneous
Process control: melt movement

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 Process variants

Small parts
Spot welding
Short cycle times
Simultaneous
Large lot sizes

Material PMMA ABS

Material PC ABS
Less residual stress Hybrid welding
Tempering/reheat

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 Advantages of laser plastics welding

online process tightness

no dust
control (IP67)

highest reduced less weld

strength costs flash

no
mechanical flexibility
stress

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 Markets

Automotive Medical Consumer Others

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 Applications

Electronics Fluidics Mechatronics No-Gluing

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 Automotive electronics

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3 Gear
2 Sensor
Airbag
Tire
Gear
SideGuard
Sensor
Sensor
impact
Control
Cluster
Satellites
Unit

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 Process module

Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous welding

LPKF: Clamping, welding, OK/NOK,
data interface
Customer: Integration and handling
Automotive, medicine, consumer electronics

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 Process module

Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous

welding
LPKF: Clamping, welding, OK/NOK,
data interface
Additional configuration and
options: Double clamping, different
wavelengths, higher laser power
and clamping force for bigger parts
Customer: Integration and handling
Automotive, medicine, consumer
electronics

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 Turnkey

Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous welding

LPKF: Process control, OK/NOK,
housing laser class 1
Customer: Integration, conveyor belt system
Automotive, medicine, consumer electronics

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 Turnkey

Radial, Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous

welding
LPKF: Clamping, welding, OK/NOK,
data interface
Customer: Integration and handling
Automotive, medicine,
consumer electronics process development

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 Turnkey

Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous welding

LPKF: Process control, OK/NOK, housing
laser class 1, ergonomics
Automotive, medicine, consumer
electronics

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 Turnkey

Contour and Quasi-Simultaneous Welding

LPKF: Process control, OK/NOK, housing laser
class 1, rotary table, ergonomics
Automotive, medicine, consumer electronics

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 Turnkey

Contour welding and LPKF ClearJoining

LPKF: Process control, OK/NOK,
housing laser class 1, ergonomics
Medicine, consumer, high precision applications

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 LPKF LaserWelding

LPKF works with you every step of the way.

Feasibility & Design Pre-production Production

Expert Advice Application Center Machines and Service

Feasability Sample runs Turnkey solutions
Design Prototyping Training and process support
Material Process design 24/7 service
Pilot production Maintenance

Also

JobShop

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 Clean room

Welding sample parts under clean room conditions (ISO standard 5,

US FED STD 209E 100) in the LPKF Application center

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 Benefits of LPKF

More than 15 years experience with laser plastics welding

More than 2000 laser processes in serial production

Worldwide service and support

Leader in technology (patents on process tools, clamping tools,

burning detection,)

Fibre coupled high power diode lasers (efficiency >35%)

Equipment is suitable for manual and automatic loading

JobShop by Lasermicronics (more then 10 Mio parts produced)

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 Thank you for your attention!

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