INNOVATION | JOINING
Right: Branson showed its GL-300 laser welding platform at K2022
results were within a range that is sufficient for many types of applications.” Herrmann Ultraschall’s close
collaboration with customers is clear in the development of an electronic application, the Bosch FreshUp (which uses Bosch Plasma Technology to remove unpleasant odours, bacteria and viruses from dry clothes without the need to wash them). The company, in a joint development process with Bosch parent BSH Hausgeräte, developed a welding solution for the device’s oval half case. The transparent ABS material
of the case shells conducts ultrasonics very well, meaning that strong vibrations not only occur in the joining zone, but also in the entire component during the welding process. This caused marks to appear on the surface at various points where the component lies in the fixture. To dampen the vibrations of the welding
process, the fixture was made of a special casting resin, says Herrmann. The abrasion-proof, heat- resistant material is hard enough to hold the component in place, but soft enough to dampen the vibrations of the ultrasonics. The fixture was divided into four fixture segments instead of the usual two. This ensured that the component lay cleanly in the fixture and could be welded accu- rately by the sonotrode. The design of the components meant that only a small welding path of three-tenths of a millimetre was available, about half as much as would normally be used. It was not possible to adapt the injection moulding tool in the area of the energy direction without making changes to the appearance of the case shell, it says. In order to weld both components flush over the entire length, the welding process was jointly developed and optimised in an extensive DoE process with several evaluation loops. The company says: “The tests were carried out in Herrmann’s plastics ultrasonic laboratory as well as at the customer’s site, and some of them were transmitted via live video. Ultimately, it was also thanks to the close cooperation that the right parameters could be defined to ensure a strong and visually flawless joint under the demanding specifications.” A leader in laser welding technology, Branson
(part of Emerson), displayed a number of products at K2022 in October. The exhibition was the first
40 INJECTION WORLD | May 2023
public outing for the Branson GLX-1 laser welder which the company says is an efficient, highly automated, connected system that maxim- ises efficiency and optimises equipment effectiveness. It has been launched to meet demand for welding units that can join small, complex, often delicate plastics components with cycle times, weld strength and aesthetics that are superior to those that are possible using most other welding methods,
according to Branson. The new GLX-1 laser welder has a small footprint and can be integrated seamlessly into automated joining systems. It is available with one to three
laser banks, each with a maximum of 125W of power. Close-loop-controlled pneumatic actuation delivers 400N, 600N or 1,800N of clamp force over maximum stroke lengths of 75 mm in the smaller unit and 152 mm in the two larger models. The new unit is Industry 4.0-capable, delivering operational data over USB and OPC-UA interfaces. Branson also displayed its highly flexible GL-300 laser welding platform which can be quickly and cost-effectively adapted to changing production demands. It was designed to deliver efficient high-quality welds in a wide range of applications, while having cost-effective and easy-to-change tooling which enables faster setup and adjustment for changing product specifications. Other features include a scanning system, large (300 mm x 300 mm) weld area, multiple weld modes, variable spot size as low as 0.5 mm and an adjustable laser power source height.
Other joining technologies shown by Branson at K2022 included the Elite Precision+ version of its GSX-E1 ultrasonic welder. This uses Emerson’s patent-pending dynamic mode to overcome the limitations of single-parameter weld-mode controls which it says are found on conventional ultrasonic welders. Controls automatically monitor, recalculate and adjust multiple weld parameters in real time (for example force, weld energy, velocity, distance) to achieve optimal, user-specified results (such as consistent insert depth/position and pull strength). Branson says the heat staking process provided by its GPX PulseStaking series offers a broad range of benefits, including superior product aesthetics and reduced energy use. The GPX series shown at K2022 comprises three full-sized models and a small handheld unit. A unique instantaneous heating and cooling process suits increasingly chal-
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: BRANSON
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