Preliminary investigations of laser welding of plastics in mass-production

Abstract

Laser welding is a quite known technique used to join plastics. Several different laser welding techniques to join plastics have been demonstrated during the past few years. One of these techniques is called quasi-simultaneous laser welding. In this technique the laser head and the component doesn’t move. The laser beam is scanned on the surface of the material several times with a galvo mirror system. Quasi-simultaneous welding is a flexible and a fast technique to join plastics and therefore it has gained interest mass-production applications, especially in the electronics industry.In this study the quasi-simultaneous welding technique was investigated. The welding parameters were defined for polymers with different carbon black and filling content. The polymer used was polypropylene (PP), which is widely used in industry. The process parameters varied were laser power, welding speed and number of scans and the material properties varied were carbon black content in the absorbent material and fiberglass content.Laser welding is a quite known technique used to join plastics. Several different laser welding techniques to join plastics have been demonstrated during the past few years. One of these techniques is called quasi-simultaneous laser welding. In this technique the laser head and the component doesn’t move. The laser beam is scanned on the surface of the material several times with a galvo mirror system. Quasi-simultaneous welding is a flexible and a fast technique to join plastics and therefore it has gained interest mass-production applications, especially in the electronics industry.In this study the quasi-simultaneous welding technique was investigated. The welding parameters were defined for polymers with different carbon black and filling content. The polymer used was polypropylene (PP), which is widely used in industry. The process parameters varied were laser power, welding speed and number of scans and the material properties varied were carbon black content in the absorbent material and fiberglass...