Secondary Operations
Joining
Creating assemblies that include KetaSpire ®
polyetheretherketone (PEEK) molded parts is often
desirable. Mechanical assembly techniques using
fasteners, press-fits, or snap-fits can be done and are
discussed elsewhere. This section deals with joining
parts using thermoplastic welding or adhesive bonding.
The thermoplastic nature of KetaSpire® PEEK can be
used advantageously to join parts by welding, thermally
softening the surfaces to be joined, forcing them together,
and cooling them.
Welding
The welding processes differ in the manner that the
bonding surfaces are heated. Welding KetaSpire® PEEK
requires more energy than welding other plastics because
of its high melting point. Common welding techniques
suitable for KetaSpire® PEEK include spin welding,
vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, and laser welding.
Hot plate and IR welding are rendered more difficult by
the high melting point of KetaSpire® PEEK and therefore
not suggested. All welding operations employ some form
of energy to melt the polymer at the desired interface.
The energy is then removed and the polymer then cools
to form the bond joining the two pieces. Properly designed
and executed, bond strength equivalent to the strength
of the polymer can be achieved by welding. Even for
reinforced grades, the maximum bond strength is that
of the unfilled polymer, because the reinforcing fiber
doesn’t flow enough to be part of the weld.
Spin welding
In the spin welding process, frictional heat is generated
by holding one part stationary and rotating the other at
high speed while applying pressure. The frictional heat
generated melts the mating surfaces, and then, while
maintaining the pressure, the rotation is stopped. When
the part cools, the weld solidifies. The key parameters
for spin welding are linear velocity, pressure and time.
During the welding process, some molten polymer may
be squeezed out, creating flash at the weld line. This can
be minimized by reducing the pressure when the polymer
starts to melt. Spin welding is suitable for parts that are
axis symmetrical at the weld.
104 \ KetaSpire® PEEK Design and Processing Guide
Figure 10.1 Typical spin weld joint designs
T
B C
R L
T
B
I
T
20°
Where
T = Wall thickness
B = 1.5 × T
C = Clearance ~0.1 mm ( 0.005˝ )
R = Radius ~1.3 mm ( 0.050˝ )
L = Lead-in 0.5 to 1.0 mm ( 0.020 to 0.040˝ )
I = Interference 0.25 to 0.51 mm ( 0.010 to 0.020˝ )
Figure 10.2 Typical vibrational welding joint
Holding shoulder
Tooth Flash trap
Groove
Vibration welding
The vibration welding process can be used to join
complex assemblies. For each assembly to be welded,
a fixture must be designed and fabricated. In this process,
one part is held stationary and the other is vibrated at 240 Hz
(120 Hz for very large parts) while applying pressure. The
vibration causes frictional heat to be generated at the
interface, melting the polymer. Once a melt is established,
the vibration is stopped and pressure held until the
polymer solidifies. The main process parameters for the
vibration welding process are the amplitude of vibration,
the pressure during the vibration phase, the pressure and
time after (“holding” phase) and the vertical displacement
of one part with respect to the other (the frequency being
fixed). A typical vibrational weld joint is shown in Figure 10.2.
Ultrasonic welding Figure 10.5 Tongue and groove joint
Ultrasonic welding is similar to vibration welding with the W/8 + 0.010"
exception that the frequency of vibration is much higher,
typically 20 to 40 kHz, and the amplitude of the vibration
is much smaller, usually 60 to 100 µm. The energy is W/8
transmitted to the interface through a sonotrode or horn
while the parts to be welded are firmly clamped in place
and under pressure.

Some common joint designs for ultrasonic welding are

shown in Figures 10.3 through 10.5. A common element
is a pointed feature called the energy director.

For a semi-crystalline resin with a high melting point, such

as KetaSpire® PEEK, an energy director joint design may
not give optimum results. The molten material flowing from
W
the energy director might resolidify before fusing with the
adjoining interface. If geometry permits a shear joint, as
shown in Figure 10.6, it may give a stronger joint. In this Figure 10.6 Shear joint
design, welding is accomplished by melting the small initial
contact area and then melting a controlled interference
along the vertical wall as the parts are compressed. Lead in
1 mm
Figure 10.3 Butt joint ( 0.04 in ) Interference
2 mm ( 0.08 in )
W/8 W/64

Figure 10.4 Step joint

W/8

KetaSpire® PEEK Design and Processing Guide / 105

Laser welding
Laser welding has become a popular method of joining
plastics in a wide variety of applications. This process
offers a number of attractive features including:
• Speed and efficiency
• Cleanliness, no debris as with vibration
or ultrasonic welding
• No consumables, such as adhesives
• No vibration that can damage sensitive components
• High bond strength
• Hermetic seal can be achieved
• Laser equipment can be used for multiple applications
Laser welding typically joins two materials that differ in
their response to laser radiation. One material is essentially
transparent to the laser (the transmissive material) and
the other absorbs the energy and melts (the absorbing
material). Welding occurs when the laser energy causes
the temperature of the absorbing component to increase
to its melting point. Heat is transferred to the transmitting
component by conduction. When it melts, the laser energy
is removed and the material cools forming a strong joint.
Figure 10.7 Laser welding process
A B C D
Where
A = Laser energy penetrates the upper layer
and is absorbed by the lower material
B = Molten material transfers heat to the upper layer
C = A molten pool forms from both layers
D = The pool solidifies when it cools to form
a high-strength weld
The natural colored (NT) grades of KetaSpire® PEEK
are laser transmissive up to 1.5 mm (1/16 in.) thick and
the black (BK) grades are the absorbers.
Adhesive Bonding
KetaSpire® PEEK may be adhesively bonded to itself or
other substrates using a variety of adhesives. The preferred
adhesive will depend on the bond strength desired, the
service temperature of the assembly and the chemical
environment in which it will operate.
The bond strength achieved will depend on the type
of adhesive used and the surface preparation method.
106 \ KetaSpire® PEEK Design and Processing Guide
Surface preparation
The surfaces to be bonded must be clean and dry as well
as free of any contamination such as grease or oil. Mold
release sprays commonly used in injection molding should
be avoided.
At the very least, the surfaces should be cleaned with
a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol and dried completely.
Additional surface treatment can significantly improve
the bond strength over an untreated surface. Mechanical
abrasion along with chromic acid, laser and plasma
etching can improve bond strength as shown in Figure 10.8.
Figure 10.8 Surface preparation and bond strength
Plasma etch
Laser etch
Chromic acid
etch
Mechanical
abrasion
Untreated
0 2 4 6 8 10
Relative bond strength
Selection of adhesive
Cyanoacrylate adhesives are usually one component
systems that are easy to use and provide excellent
bond strength. Their upper use temperature is limited
to approximately 120 °C (250 °F), so they are not
appropriate for higher temperature applications.
Epoxy-based adhesives are available that are capable
of operating at temperatures up to 200 °C (392 °F). Epoxy
adhesives are typically two component systems that are
mixed together just before use.
Epoxy adhesives usually have lower bond strengths
than cyanoacrylates. When selecting an adhesive for
KetaSpire® PEEK, it is advisable to consult with an
adhesive supplier, indicating the substrates that are to
be bonded, the service temperature and the chemical
environment.