TECHNOLOGY | JOINING
Right: Laser- welded LDS demonstrator part with integrated LED lights shows the integration possibilities of LPKF’s WeLDS process
ical and electronic functions are integrated directly onto moulded parts with complex geometries. LPKF has developed
WeLDS, a technology that combines both 3D MIDs and laser plastic welding, which it says “creates unprecedented opportuni- ties for function integration in electronics applications”. WeLDS technology has already been used for applications in large series production, it says. The LDS process used in this way increases function integration, for example 3D trace struc- tures, antennas, switches, connectors, and sensors, enables miniaturisation and weight reduction with very few limitations on the component design. LPKF says: “WeLDS realises sealing and protec-
tion of those parts, which can have complex geometries. In addition, the possibility of taking advantage of LPKF’s welding solution enables the manufacturer to save LDS material. Due to the perfect welding process, high pressure resistance and vacuum-tight protection can be implemented. The clean joining does not release particles; no solvents or chemical treatments are necessary. The surface of the welded part remains damage-free. Precisely placed weld seams are possible close to electronic parts. Therefore, even sensitive elements can benefit from welding as a joining technique.” The company says that the production of welded LDS parts has low initial costs and mass production is highly cost-effective. For safety-rele- vant applications, a flexible system for monitoring during the welding process can be installed. The WeLDS technology was shown by LPKF at the Productronica trade show in Munich, Germany
IMAGE: LPKF
in November last year. “The option of now joining the material with LPKF welding systems is unique world- wide and can in future help to further advance one of the leading processes in MID technology,” it said. At the exhibition, LPKF also demonstrated In- lineWeld 2000, a special
system for welding rotationally symmetric components. It is used in applications where PCBs are mounted in plastic housings, offering flexibility in respect of weld thicknesses and geometry. The welding process does not affect the PCB material, which is an important factor especially for applica- tions in medical technology or in the innovative field of electric mobility. The latest generation of the LPKF InlineWeld 2000 securely joins round or oval cylindrical parts, says the company. Developed for automated production lines, it can also be operated as a standalone system in a production or laboratory environment. The InlineWeld 2000 system is made up of a welding head with a powerful laser source and a swivel arm to perform a radial welding technique. The arm moves the laser beam around the compo- nent with a fast rotational motion. The laser beam selectively generates an exact and reliable weld seam along the joint. During the welding process, the component remains in a fixed position. The process is hygienically clean and free of
particles making it suited primarily to automotive and biomedical engineering applications. But LPKF says it can be used in various other application areas, including SCR lines, components for thermal management, and medical devices such as blood glucose sensors or tubing and valve systems. The quality of the radial welding process is
LPKF developed its InlineWeld 2000 system to securely join round or oval cylindrical parts
58 INJECTION WORLD | May 2022
ensured inline through integrated pyrometer control. LPKF says the high process speed and the quality of the joints make the InlineWeld 2000 system an efficient and economical solution. The GLX Micro is a new addition to the laser welding range of Branson, the plastics welding technology business owned by Emerson. This is the benchtop version of the GLX Series and is designed for use with smaller and more delicate plastic parts in medical and consumer electronics applications. “There is increasing demand for smaller and
more intricate high-quality plastic components for the medical and consumer electronics markets,”
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IMAGE: LPKF
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