TECHNOLOGY | LASER MARKING AND WELDING
Right: Air conditioning pipes produced using an unfilled Technyl PA grade burst before the laser weld failed in laboratory tests
areas of development at present regards colour, as well
as improving the transparency of glass fibre grades. In addition, the company says it is looking to deliver compounds with a wider
processing window to enable customers to better manage production across
different manufacturing lines. Among its latest product introductions is a new
range of PA66-based black plastics suitable for laser welding — Technyl STAR AF 219 V30 black LT. “ Our Technyl STAR AF 219 V30 black LT expanded product family will be important for the electric vehicle market, where there is a growing demand for sensor boxes, cases and control units,” says de Givry. Other Domo laser welding compound develop- ments include an unfilled PA grade for production of air conditioning lines. Systems produced using this compound have passed the required burst tests before and after refrigerant ageing. Develop- ment of a new PA6 30% glass fibre filled com- pound is said to be in progress.
Eliminating risk Elimination of the risk of contamination is a key attraction of laser welding and that is down to the process itself. The two mating parts, one produced in a compound that is transparent to the laser and the other in a compound that absorbs the energy so will heat up, are brought together then the laser beam directed through the laser-transparent
component to reach the laser-absorbing mating surface. This results in a localised molten surface and effectively creates the welded joint from the inside out. The end result is near invisible and, unlike with friction-based welding technologies, there is said to be no displacement of material from the weld and no risk of contamination. Domo Chemical says its Technyl STAR AF 219 V30 black LT grade has been examined using a light transmission test at a wavelength of 940nm and this proves the suitability of the compound at a thickness of up to 3mm. This has been further supported by in-house application part testing , which has shown good welding cohesion. Among the latest additions to the Bergamid
range from Avient are new laser weldable PA66 grades formulated for use in automotive parts, consumer goods and medical devices. Character- ised by well-controlled laser transmission rates, multiple colour choices and customised perfor- mance options, the new additions are said to allow manufacturers to produce high-performance parts with durable welds and smooth surfaces. According to Avient, compounds used for laser welding must allow a minimum 20% transmission rate for laser energy. Absorption can be controlled by adjusting the pigments used and it claims to offer a range of off-the-shelf and tailor-made solutions that meet the required laser transmission rates for applications in a variety of markets. The new laser weldable grades were introduced last year, initially for the Asian market.
Collaboration works for special effects
Laser marking technology can produce some increasingly exotic effects but this requires cooperation between material and equipment developers. Gabriel- Chemie collaborated with Germany-based Belaser to develop a solution to create improved contrast in metallic impressions. The technology can be used to create a camouflage effect or image in metallics, for example. In its Colour Vision 21 collection, Gabriel-Chemie has created a coral effect using an additive that ‘foams-up’ to create a light-coloured marking that protrudes slightly above the plastic surface and gives an attractive haptic feel to the object. The company has also been working on various marble effects where the marbling is effectively hidden in a ‘cloak’ of laser reactive darker colours. “Our focus for the future is not just on the laser marking masterbatch, but on a
turnkey customer solution,” says Mark Hannah, Gabriel-Chemie Head of Corporate Marketing . “We offer a first consultation and can make initial sample plastic objects and laser mark them in-house to help customers visualise the solution. We then work with our laser partners to offer a service to laser mark small and medium-size product batches. If customers then want to move into larger scale mass production, we have contacts to the major laser marker producers and can help them to find the right solution for their production needs.” �
www.gabriel-chemie.com �
www.belaser.de
48 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2021
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Gabriel-Chemie used a foaming laser marking additive to create this raised ‘Magic-Touch’ effect
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: DOMO CHEMICALS
IMAGE: GABRIEL-CHEMIE
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