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Module 4 Lecture 6 Final PDF
Module 4 Lecture 6 Final PDF
4
Design for Assembly
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Lecture
6
Design for Joining of Plastics
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Instructional objectives
By the end of this lecture, the student will know
1. principles of different welding processes used for plastic joining,
2. advantages and limitations of different plastic joining processes,
3. recommended designs to achieve good quality joints in polymers.
Joining of moulded plastic parts is required when the finished assembly is too large or
complex to mould in one piece, requires disassembly and reassembly is necessary, and often
to reduce cost to produce a single large moulded plastic component. The plastic parts about to
join can be of same or dissimilar materials. Thermoplastics are generally joined by welding
processes, in which the part surfaces are melted, allowing polymer chains to interdiffuse. Few
important welding processes used for thermoplastics welding are ultrasonic welding,
vibration welding, spin welding, and induction welding.
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Table 4.6.1
Advantages
Disadvantages
the
strength
high
clean welds.
Produce
minute is possible.
joints
consistently.
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(2)
In electronic appliances like switches, sensors and data storage keys are fabricated
using ultrasonic welding.
(3)
Ultrasonic welding is also used to make medical parts like filters, catheters, medical
garment and masks.
(4)
Packing applications like blister packs, pouches, tubes, storage containers and carton
spouts can be fabricated using ultrasonic welding.
(2)
Bead or narrow raised sections called energy indicators are molded on one of the
surfaces of the workpieces. This smallest possible surface area increases the frictional
heat and in turn the melting rate [Figure 4.6.2(b)].
(3)
Step joints are more preferable to reduce the unwanted flash and to increase the joint
strength [Figure 4.6.2(c)]. Even a greater strength is possible by using the tongue-andgroove joint as shown in Figure 4.6.2(d). But moulding this type of joint is more
difficult.
(4)
(5)
It is not recommended to bevel one surface of the joint [Figure 4.6.2(i)]. The problem
associated with this joint is the expulsion of the large volume of the material beyond
the joint.
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Figure 4.6.2
Fig. no.
Joint design
Step joint;
Better
Tongue-and-groove joint;
Best
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Figure 4.6.2 Design recommendations for ultrasonic welding of plastics (continued) [2].
Fig. no.
Joint design
f
Typical ultrasonic joint designs;
Better
g
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Figure 4.6.3 The movement of parts in vibration welding can be either linear or angular [2].
Table 4.6.2
Advantages
Disadvantages
ultrasonic welding.
processes
(injection
capital
cost
of
the
molded,
end-use applications.
high
90-95dB is a drawback.
Initial
(3) Manufacturing of the automotive air intake manifold. The manifold is made in two
or three injection molded parts and linear vibration welding is used to assemble the
final manifold [Figure 4.6.4(b)].
(4) Welding chain saw motor housings made of 30% glass filled nylon, butane gas
lighter tanks, batteries and pneumatic logic boards.
(5) Widely used in making high quality joints in polyethylene (PE) gas distribution
pipes.
(a)
(b)
Figure 4.6.4 (a) automotive instrument panel assembly (b) vibration welded automotive air
intake manifold [1].
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Table 4.6.3
Advantages
Disadvantages
process.
of the process.
4. Breakaway stud or socket can be incorporated into the part halves for easy assembly
alignment [Figure 4.6.6].
Figure 4.6.5
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Figure 4.6.6
thermoplastic binder and, in turn, the surfaces of the parts to be joined. Figure 4.6.7 depicts a
typical installation for welding the top to a cosmetics cartridge using induction welding
process.
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Table 4.6.4
Disadvantages
be produced
purpose.
Applications
(1)
Frequently used for welding large or irregular shaped parts made by injectionmoulding, blow-moulding, rotational moulding or thermo-formed [Figure 4.6.8].
(2)
(3)
Extensively used in sealing plastic coated metal caps to plastic bottles, joining of cross
linked PE pipes, welding metal grills to the front of loud speaker units etc.
Figure 4.6.8
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The coupling distance, i.e., the space between the work coil and the bond line should
remain constant.
(2)
The joint line should be as close as possible to the work coil [Figure 4.6.9(a)]. The
irregularities that prevent the work coil from being located close to the joint line
should be avoided.
(3)
Joints should be designed in shear rather than in peel or butt [Figure 4.6.9(b)].
(a)
(b)
Figure 4.6.9 Recommended and not recommended joint designs for induction welding [2].
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Exercise
1. What are the design recommendations for the laser welding of plastics?
2. What are the limitations in using hot gas welding for plastic joining?
References
1. M. J. Troughton, Handbook of plastics joining, William andrew Inc, 2nd edition,
New york.
2. J. B. Bralla, Design for manufacturability handbook, McGraw hill handbooks, 2nd
edition, New York.
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