Laser Transmission Welding of Semicrystalline Thermoplastics - Part II: Analysis of Mechanical Performance of Welded Nylon

Abstract

Selecting thermoplastics for a wide industrial application (automotive, appliances, lawn and garden, power tools, etc.) strongly depends on the plastic material composition, part design, processing (molding and welding) conditions. The structure of used thermoplastics, mechanical properties and composition (reinforcements, fillers, additives, pigments, etc.) may have the greater influence and need to be characterized for optimum material selection for the laser transmission welding (LTW) application.

To provide a guide to nylon based thermoplastics selection for LTW applications we have evaluated the influence of specific material composition factors and properties, such as fiber-glass, mineral filler, impact modifier content, and color/pigment version on the Near InfraRed (NIR) transmission characteristics, including the laser wavelength (1.06 mm). The results of an optical characterization of nylon 6 based thermoplastics are discussed in the Part I of this report to ANTEC’ 2000 (Kagan, V. A., Bray, R. B. and Kuhn, W. P., ‘‘Laser Transmission Welding of Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastics - Part I: The Magical Solution, Proceedings of the SPE 58th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibits (ANTEC’2000)).

The mechanical performance (tensile strength at room temperature conditions) of nylon welded joints was evaluated in terms of the influence of transmission laser welding technology parameters (laser power, welding speed, laser beam spot sizes, clamp pressure, etc.) and thermoplastic composition (reinforcements, fillers, additives, pigments, etc.).

Technical results of this comprehensive evaluation (optical properties of nylon 6 based plastics and mechanical performance of welded joints) will assist plastic parts designers and technologists in selecting nylon based thermoplastics and developing new products using LTW technology. The purpose of Part II of this report is to increase understanding within the plastics engineering community regarding the usefulness and possible applicability of LTW technology for nylon made components.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Jones, Ian and Taylor, Nicki (1994). Laser Excel in High Speed Plastic Welding, TWI , Bulletin 6, Reprint 471/6/94, p. 3.

2. Jones, Ian (1998). Transmission Laser Welding of Plastics, TWI , Bulletin 75, p. 4.

3. Grewell, David A. (1999). Applications with Infrared Welding of Thermoplastics, SPE/Antec’99 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1411-1415 .

4. Potente, H., Korte, J. and Becker, F. (1998). Laser Transmission Welding of Thermoplastics: Analysis of the Heating Phase , SPE/Antec’98 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 11022-11025 .

5. Potente, H. and Korte, J. (1996). Laser Butt Welding of Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastics , SPE/Antec’96 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1255-1259 .

6. (April 1999). Lasers Take AIM at Welding Plastics , Injection Molding, 103-106 .

7. Puetz, Hedrun and Haensch, Dirket al. (1997). Laser Welding Offers Array of Assembly Advantages , Modern Plastics, 121-123 .

8. Klein, H. and Haberstroh, E. (1999). Laser Beam Welding of Plastic Micro Parts , SPE/Antec’99 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1406-1410 .

9. Treusch, H.G., Putz, H. and Hansch, D. (1998). Laser Welding of Polymer Parts , 5th Plastic Manifold Forum, 12 .

10.

10. Hansch, D., Putz, H. and Treusch, H.G. (1998). Joining Hard and Soft Plastics With a Diode Laser, Kunststoffe Plastic Europe , Vol. 88, p. 2, pp. 210-212.

11.

11. Novel Technologies Move Laser Welding Center Stage (October 1999). Modern Plastics, 112-115.

12.

12. Kagan, Val A. (1999). Advantages of Welded Nylon for Powertrain Applications: Linear Vibration, Orbital Vibration and Hot Plate Welding Technologies, New Materials and Development Processes , Global Powertrain Congress, pp. 65-75 , Stuttgart, Germany.

13.

13. Kagan, Val A. (1999). Joining of Nylon Based Plastics Components - Vibration and Hot Plate Welding Technologies , SPE/Antec’99 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1349-1359 .

14.

14. Potente, H., Uebbing, M. and Lewandowski, E. (1993). The Vibration Welding of Polyamide 66 , Journal of Composite Materials, 6: 2-17 .

15.

15. Kagan, V. (December 1997). Vibration Welding of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polyamide Plastics , Kunststoffe plastic europe, 87: 1804-1807 .

16.

16. Brubel, A. and Potente, H. (1998). Welding Behavior of Filled and Reinforced Thermoplastics with Hot-Plate Welding , SPE/Antec’98 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1062-1066 .

17.

17. Kagan, V., Bray, R.G., Kuhh, W. and Pinho, G.P. (2000). Selecting Nylon-Based Plastics for Laser Welding Technology, SAE Technical Paper Series, Detroit (to be published).

18.

18. Natrop, J and Korte, J. (1998). Machinery Concepts and Welding Applications for Laser Welding, 5th Plastic Manifold Forum , p. 16.

19.

19. Lasers for Industry - The Power of Light (1998). ROFISINAR , p. 31.

20.

20. Potente, H. and Becker, F. (1998). Laser Welding of Thermoplastic Materials, 5th Plastic Manifold Forum , p. 10.

21.

21. Potente, H. and Becker, F. (1999). Weld Strength Behavior of Laser Butt Welds , SPE/Antec’99 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1402-1405 .

22.

22. Grimm, Robert A. and Yeh, Hong Jun (1998). Infrared Welding of Thermoplastics: Colored Pigments and Carbon Black Levels on Transmission on Infrared Radiation , SPE/Antec’98 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1026-1029 .

23.

23. Chen Yang, S. and Benatar, Avraham (1995). Infrared Welding of Polypropylene , SPE/Antec’95 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1235-1238 .

24.

24. Grimm, R.A. (1996). Through-Transmission Infrared Welding of Polymers , SPE/Antec’96 Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1, pp. 1238-1244 .