Product category:
Welding, cutting and adhesive bonding
News Release from: Heraeus Noblelight, I-R Division | Subject: HDPE welding
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 August 2007
Infra-red is the answer for HDPE welding
Short wave infra-red emitters from Heraeus Noblelight are being used to weld several sections of an HDPE panel during fabrication into a box construction, for use in a robot trolley
The formed panels eventually form the rear section of a new lightweight, wheeled trolley, manufactured by Robot Units of Winsford, intended for bulk deliveries to supermarkets and for transporting linen around hospitals Robot Units designs and manufactures modular, special purpose automation machines and systems for use in industrial sectors as diverse as aerospace and packaging
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 5 Jul 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Infra-red improves powder coating efficiency
By installing infra-red systems, a Chinese manufacturer of chainsaw blades has been able to increase its rate of powder coating, while significantly improving product quality
Papermaker benefits from carbon infra-red drying
By installing a Hereaus Carbon Infra-Red (CIR) system, a manufacturer of speciality papers has enjoyed significant gains in productivity, by improving efficiency in the important lacquer drying stage
These feature patented aluminium extrusions which provide stable and rigid lightweight support structures, housing modular belt conveyors, linear motion units, clamping devices and pneumatic power slides.
The company recently devised an innovative solution to a difficult problem when it was asked to design and build a machine to form a box section component from a flat, blow moulded panel.
The panel was supplied basically as an unfolded box, together with all the integral fixing lugs and holes and slots which would be used in subsequent assembly operations.
Further reading
Robot machine-tending at aerospace manufacturer
Aerospace component manufacturer Centrax has installed an ABB IRB2400L six-axis robot to investigate the feasibility of introducing fully automated machine tending to selected manufacturing processes
Global Quality Culture for Multinational
Product consistency and quality and a mandate to reduce costs spurred container manufacturer Crown Cork and Seal Co to institute quality measures that could be applied for all manufacturing sites
The lugs and slots, together with various mating faces, are used to weld the box together.
However, their location is such that they are of different thicknesses and geometry.
They are also of different shades.
The trolley designers considered that the welding would be impossible to achieve using contact methods, such as hot plate welding, as there would be unwanted scorching of the HDPE surface.
However, they were aware that infra-red had been used successfully in plastics welding and, consequently, Robot Units contacted Heraeus and tests were carried out at the Neston Applications Centre.
These demonstrated that the weld achieved using short wave infra-red emitters was stronger than the parent material itself and that there was no burning of the HDPE.
As result, an array of short wave infra-red emitters, of different lengths and power ratings, was fitted in the forming station of the Robot Units machine.
When the flat moulding arrives at the forming station it is first clamped before the individual short wave emitters are fired up in a programmed sequence to comply with the geometry, thickness and colour of the plastic panel.
The flat panel is then folded by the pneumatic tooling and the selected, softened faces and connection points are welded together.
Cold air is then blasted into the station, the clamping force is removed and the box is removed from the machine.
The cycle time is between 15 and 45 seconds, depending on the panel loaded.
Heraeus Noblelight offers the complete range of infra-red radiation systems from NIR to medium wave carbon infra-red (CIR).
It has over 40 years experience in infra-red technology and offers the expertise, products and systems to provide efficient and effective solutions to drying, heating and curing problems throughout industry. Request a free brochure from Heraeus Noblelight, I-R Division ...
• Heraeus Noblelight, I-R Division: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Processingtalk email newsletter
• Processingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
