With the ever-growing technology surrounding us, it has become increasingly important for manufacturers to find quicker and better ways to finish their products for their customers. Ultrasonic welding is one of those ways. It has quickly become one of the most popular methods of joining pieces of material together.
Ultrasonic welding is used in industries such as automotive, electronics, aeronautics and medical. In fact, it is estimated that approximately 80-90% of plastic welding is now done using this method.
In this article, we will dive into what ultrasonic welding is and how it works.
What is ultrasonic welding?
Ultrasonic welding is a process that utilizes sound vibrations to generate frictional heat, melting the plastic material and allowing it to fuse pieces together.It is an important joining process in plastics fabrication, and is often chosen over other joining methods due to its speed, cost-efficiency and flexibility it offers. The process of ultrasonic welding has various advantages that make it attractive to manufacturers and engineers.
Advantages of ultrasonic welding:
- High speed – one of the most significant advantages of ultrasonic welding is the speed of welding.
The process generates heat in a matter of milliseconds, welding plastic pieces together quickly and efficiently.
- Cost-effective – less human labour is required to carry out the welding process, making it significantly cheaper than processes such as riveting. The cost of the equipment is also low.
- Flexible – ultrasonic welding is a versatile process. It can be used on thermoplastics in almost any shape, from sheet material to pipes and rods.
The process is also capable of welding two pieces of different thicknesses.
- Clean – ultrasonic welding eliminates the need for any externally applied adhesives, reducing the risk of contamination.
Disadvantages of ultrasonic welding:
- Compatibility – the material types and shapes must be compatible with the process. Some of the materials surgeons use to construct medical device cannot be welded by the ultrasonic process. The process also requires a certain degree of cleanliness, meaning any dust or dirt can interfere with the welding.
- Heat distortion – heat distortion is a major limitation with the ultrasonic welding process. Too much heat can cause the materials to melt, warp and shrink. Product and welding design must account for this, to avoid damage to the parts being joined.
- Orientation of pieces – the pieces being welded must be in the correct orientation in order for the weld to be successful. This might mean costly manufacturing process to create the correct orientation prior to welding.