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Welding of Radially Symmetrical

Plastic Parts
Economical use of the laser beam for welding radially symmetrical plastic assem-
blies
Frank Brunnecker

Laser plastic welding of radially sym-

metrical parts is one of the most effi-
cient joining technologies on the mar-
ket when the typical process conditions
are taken into account in good time. It
combines all process advantages in
terms of cleanliness and precision with
robust and economical system tech-
nology.

The importance of laser plastic welding

is constantly increasing, especially in
the automotive supplier, medical tech-
nology, and household appliance indus-
tries. This is not least due to the many
technical advantages of laser welding.
The automotive supplier industry in
particular is characterized by very high
innovation and cost pressure. Automo-
tive suppliers are therefore constantly
on the lookout for innovative technol-
ogies with which they can offer their
customers better quality products at
lower costs. In order to achieve these
Company
EVOSYS
Erlangen, Germany
EVOSYS develops and manufactures customized
laser systems for material processing. With many
years of market and process experience, we offer
creative and innovative solutions for challenging
applications – especially for laser plastics welding.
EVOSYS supports you from the first component
design to quality assurance in series production and
after-sales service in your production. We are your
ideal partner for laser machine construction world-
wide. Whether it’s a simple off the shelf machine or
a complex customized system, EVOSYS implements
your challenges into solutions.
Through a partnership with our customers, we can
integrate complex systems into existing production
processes.
www.evosys-laser.de
Radial welding head (Source: Evosys)
goals, all production processes must be
permanently analyzed and optimized.
Laser plastic welding offers correspond-
ing optimization potentials due to its
many advantages. This process is char-
acterized by an easily controllable, local,
and non-contact heat input, a minimal
heat-affected zone, and low mechanical
stress on the joining partners. In addi-
tion, unlike other welding processes,
the process is completely abrasion-free.
Laser plastic welding is therefore pre-
destined for applications in which sen-
sitive electronics are located in compo-
nents to be welded, high seam qualities
have to be achieved, or absolute cleanli-
ness and particle freedom in the process
are essential.
Main principle
Today, laser plastic welding is mainly
used in the form of through-transmis-
sion welding. In this process, two plas-
tic materials with different absorption
properties, which are caused by differ-
ent filler types or concentrations, are
welded in an overlap joint. The plas-
tic parts to be joined lie on top of each
other and the laser radiation is focused
through the plastic, which is transpar-
ent for the laser wavelength, onto the
absorbing part, whereby it melts on the
surface. The transmissive partner also
plasticizes via heat conduction, so that a
connection occurs.
In addition to the joint geometry, the
type of energy input during laser plas-
tic welding is an important feature for
classifying the processes. A distinction
is made between contour, simultane-
ous, and quasi-simultaneous welding.
The process variant considered here is
contour welding in a special form for
machining radially symmetrical assem-
blies. During contour welding, the laser
spot is guided one or more times so
slowly along the welding contour that
the material cools down between the
respective overstroking of a point of the
weld seam to such an extent that it solid-
ifies.

42  Laser Technik Journal 4/2018  © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
 Laser Welding

A major difference between this spe-
cial form and the other process variants
of laser plastic welding is the introduc-
tion of the joining pressure into the
joining zone. Due to the radially sym-
metrical structure of the assembly in the
welding area, it is possible to work with
a press fit and thus achieve the joining
pressure required for heat conduction.
As a result, a clamping technology in
contact with the component can usually
be omitted. The positive results are eco-
nomical system designs and short over-
all process times. Since the tolerances of
the components are very important due
to the use of the press fit, the control of
the preliminary processes is of particu-
lar importance.
Industrially used process variants
The three process variants shown in the
schematic sketch (Fig. 1) and explained
in more detail below, which differ in
the movement of the laser beam, are the
main industrial applications today.
Laser fixed, moving part (a)
The simplest and most industrially
used variant is based on a fixed laser
optic and a moving workpiece (Fig. 1a).
It is used in particular when there are
no protruding attachments, cables, or
pipes on the joining assembly. In this
variant, the module is inserted into a
component-specific fixture which is
connected to a suitable rotary drive. The
component is then rotated once or sev-
eral times in front of the fixed laser spot,
thereby creating the weld seam. The
main process parameters of this vari-
ant are the feed rate (peripheral speed)
and the laser energy used, which can
be variably adapted in modern welding
systems.
The advantages of this variant are
especially the very economical and
robust system design and the good pos-
sibility of process monitoring using a
pyrometer or IR camera. The variant
shows restrictions in the area of auto-
mation and in the machinable compo-
nent sizes (overall dimensions, cable
lengths, etc.).
18639119, 2018, 4, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/latj.201800025 by National Medical Library The Director, Wiley Online Library on [07/11/2022]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
a b mirror arm c laser beam
laser beam
laser beam mirror funnel
Fig. 1 Basic principles of contour welding of radially symmetrical components: laser fixed,
moving part (a); fixed part, laser rotates around the part (b); fixed part, laser is reflected
onto the part by mirrors and rotates around the part (c)
The workpiece is positioned in a fixture Fixed part, laser is reflected onto the part by
and the laser beam is rotated around the mirrors and rotates around the part (c)
assembly by means of a suitable optical The latest variant of radial welding uses
structure (mirror arm). The essential the scanner technology known from
process parameters are analogous to the quasi-simultaneous laser welding. A
variant mentioned above. mirror funnel is used to reflect the laser
The main advantage of this proce- beam, which initially radiates axially
dure is that larger mounting geometries from the scanner in the direction of the
or cable lengths below the joining zone component radially onto the compo-
do not impair the process and struc- nent (Fig. 1c). In the simplest case, the
ture of the welding module. This allows laser then describes a circular path and
plugs and couplings to be welded to thus rotates around the workpiece.
cables several meters long. The latest As with the above-mentioned vari-
generation of welding modules is flex- ant, the fixed component does not inter-
ible and easy to integrate into automa- fere with larger mounting geometries
tion solutions and already has suitable or cable lengths. In addition, the freely
laser protection to achieve laser class 1. programmable welding contour allows
V1 – Part rotates V2 – Mirror arm V2 – Scanner
Complexity of process ++ + 0
Part bandwidth 0 ++ ++
Automation capability + ++ ++
Process monitoring ++ ++ +
Maintenance effort ++ ++ 0
Flexibility + + ++ Table 1:
Comparison of
Investment ++ + 0 the variants
150
100
50

Fixed part, laser rotates around the part (b) 0

The second process variant (Fig. 1b), 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
which has also been used successfully Temperature / °C
for more than a decade, reverses the
principle of the aforementioned variant. Fig. 2 Example for an evaluation of the pyrometer signal

© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim Laser Technik Journal 4/2018 43

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Fig. 3
Example of a other welding seam geometries than
pipe-coupling circles or several welding seams to be
connection processed one above the other. Another
advantage over the variants mentioned
above is the process speed, which can be
significantly faster with suitable compo-
nent geometry due to the lower moving
masses. Due to the scanner, the feed
rates of the laser beam can be set so high
that quasi-simultaneous welding is also
possible.
Due to the higher number of opti-
cal elements, this type of radial welding
offers a somewhat more limited possi-
bility for optical process monitoring.
In addition, the mirror funnels must
undergo regular inspections.
Comparison of variants
Due to the many advantages and dis-
advantages of the variants mentioned,
table 1 is intended to provide an initial
brief overview. Basically all three vari-
ants are in industrial use today and have
proven their economic efficiency mostly
over years in the cost-sensitive automo-
tive supplier industry. The final selection
of a variant can best be done together
with an expert.
Process monitoring methods
All common methods which are also
used for normal contour welding are
basically suitable for process monitor-
ing. As a rule, the same options and
restrictions apply.
The most frequently used industri-
ally and so far also most economical
variant is the monitoring of the tem-
perature in the joining zone by means
of pyrometers. In all the above-men-
tioned process variants, the pyrometer
is coupled into the beam path of the
laser. During the welding process, the
temperature in the processing zone is
measured continuously. Depending
on the signal quality, which is strongly
influenced by material and additives,
the temperature signal is evaluated in
real time and compared with the upper
and lower limits of an envelope curve.
Air gaps or bad connections can thus
be reliably detected. If the signal quality
is correspondingly good, it is also pos-
44 Laser Technik Journal 4/2018
oversize fitting
Fig. 4 Principle sketches of recommended joining geometries
sible to control the energy input by the
laser on the basis of the signal curve.
Applications
Preferred applications for radial weld-
ing include couplings and plugs on
pipes or cables, valve assemblies for fuel
or SCR lines, and bottle closures.
Fig. 3 shows a coupling that is reli-
ably and permanently sealed to a pipe-
line by radial welding. In this case, the
tube is designed as an absorbent joining
partner; the coupling is laser-transpar-
ent. Due to the different lengths and
shapes of the cables, the process version
with mirror arm in combination with
a pyrometer for process monitoring is
used.
The advantage of this system design
is in particular the high flexibility with
regard to existing and future component
geometries such as cable lengths, dia-
meters, or the position of the weld seam.
The compact integration module
EVO 0700, as the only module on the
market to date, comes with suitable
laser protection to achieve laser class
1. This eliminates the need for complex
enclosures, which subsequently have to
be extensively certified.
Design instructions
In addition to the essential require-
ments on material and geometry for a
laser plastic welding process, an almost
radially symmetrical component geom-
etry in the area of the joining zone is a
basic prerequisite for the use of radial
welding. Due to the optical and tech-
nical possibilities of laser welding, in
exceptional cases even elliptical and
even angular geometries can be pro-
cessed radially. As a rule, the laser tech-
nology is less limiting than the guaran-
tee of a circumferential press fit.
Since radial welding generally does
without the use of clamping technology,
18639119, 2018, 4, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/latj.201800025 by National Medical Library The Director, Wiley Online Library on [07/11/2022]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
oversize fitting oversize fitting
through bevel through bar
the design of the welding zone is partic-
ularly important. The two components
to be joined must ensure a reliable cir-
cumferential press fit when assembled,
since the welding process can bridge
virtually no air gaps.
We recommend the geometries
shown in Fig. 4, which also ensure a sim-
ple sequence of production steps before
the welding process.
Due to the tolerances for suitable
interference fits, which are strongly
dependent on the component size and
in particular the material pairing, we
recommend consulting experts for the
joining technology and, if necessary,
tests to define the final geometry.
Since the material expands in the area
of the joining zone during plasticizing
and tends to flow sideways depending
on the material, the welding should not
take place directly in an edge area where
melt expulsion has a disturbing effect.
DOI: 10.1002/latj.201800025
Author
Frank Brunnecker
studied manufacturing
technology at the
Friedrich Alexander
University in Erlangen,
Germany. He is one of
the founders of Evosys
Laser and has been
managing partner
since the end of 2015.
He started his career in 2002 at INA
Schaeffler KG, then moved to Laser-
quipment AG, which was integrated into
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in 2006. From
2006 to 2014, he was responsible for the
worldwide development of the laser plastic
welding business field as head of business
field and location.
Dipl.-Ing. Frank Brunnecker, Evosys Laser
GmbH, Schallershofer Str. 108, 91056
Erlangen, Germany; Tel. +49 9131 81497-0;
info@evosys-laser.com, www.evosys-laser.
com
© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim