Plastic Welding: Important Facts and Developments

Abstract

This paper provides an introduction to some important facts and developments in the plastic welding field for assisting the developments in future in plastic welding. Plastic manufactured part are regularly used in many industries. The parts made of polymeric materials and polymeric composites fulfilled very demanding criteria now-e-days. Plastics have good corrosion resistance, excellent strength to weight ratio and ability to take good finish. Plastics can be categorized as thermosets and thermoplastics. Only the thermoplastic is weld able among these two. A chemical reaction occurs during processing and curing in case of thermo sets resin, that is, as a result of irreversible cross-linking reaction in the mold. Both molded thermosets and vulcanized elastomer components cannot be reshaped by applying heat, because of the irreversible reaction that occurs. And thus in this case joining can be obtained by mechanical fastening and adhesive bonding only. In this paper few selected welding processes are discussed like hot gas welding, friction welding, hot plate welding, etc. Various important Poly Vinyl Chloride welding parameters such as welding techniques, welding temperature, welding speed, equipments requirements have also been discussed. Recent developments in this field are also discussed.