Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part IV: Strengths of poly(butylene terephthalate), polyetherimide,and modified polyphenylene oxide butt welds

In vibration welding of thermoplastics, frictional work done by vibrating two parts under pressure, along their common interface, is used to generate heat to effect a weld. The main process parameters are the weld frequency, the amplitude of the vibratory motion, the weld pressure, and the weld time or weld penetration.; The effects of these parameters on weld quality were systematically studied by first butt welding thermoplastic specimens under controlled conditions, over a wide range of process parameters, and by then determining the strengths and ductilities of these welds by tensile tests. The three thermoplastics investigated are poly (butylene terephthalate), polyetherimide, and modified polyphenylene oxide. Changes in the weld pressure are shown to have opposite effects on the strengths of polyetherimide and modified polyphenylene oxide welds; Also, the weld frequency is shown to have a significant effect on the weldability of polyetherimide. The weldability data for these three thermoplastics are compared with data for polycarbonate. Under the right conditions, the strengths of butt welds in these materials are shown to equal the strength of the virgin polymer.     

Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part III: Strength of polycarbonate butt welds

In vibration welding of thermoplastics, frictional work done by vibrating two parts under pressure, along their common interface, is used to generate heat to effect a weld. The main process parameters are the weld frequency, the amplitude of the vibratory motion, the weld pressure, and the weld time or weld penetration; The effects of these parameters on weld quality were systematically studied by first butt-welding polycarbonate specimens under controlled conditions over a wide range of process parameters, and by then determining the strengths and ductilities of these welds by tensile tests, A significant result is the apparent existence of a weld-penetration threshold above which high weld strengths are attained, but below which the strength drops off. Under the right conditions, the strengths of polycarbonate butt welds are shown to equal the strength of the virgin polymer.     

Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part I: Phenomenology of the welding process

In vibration welding of thermoplastics, frictional work done by vibrating two parts under pressure, along their common interface, is used to generate heat to effect a weld. The main process parameters in vibration welding are the weld frequency, the amplitude of the vibratory motion, the weld pressure, and the weld time. How these parameters affect weld quality, the conditions that result in the best welds, the weldability of dissimilar plastics, and the effect of fillers such as glass are of interest. To address these issues, a research vibration welding machine in which all the parameters can be independently and accurately controlled and monitored was designed and fabricated. The phenomenology of welding, as determined by experiments on the four thermoplastics polycarbonate, poly (butylene terephthalate), polyetherimide, and modified poly (phenylene oxide), is described.     

Vibration welding of glass-filled poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)

Vibration welding is used to assess the weldability of 16 wt% glass-filled poly(styrene-comaleic anhydride) (16-GF-SMA). Data are presented on the strengths of butt welds for two specimen thicknesses and T-welds for one specimen thickness. The maximum weld strength of butt joints is shown to be only 35% of the tensile strength of the material. T-joints are shown to have only 61% of the strength of butt joints. The relative butt-weld strengths of 16-GF-SMA are much lower than those measured in other glass filled resins: 71% in a 20-wt% glass-filled modified poly(phenylene oxide); 68 and 60%, respectively, in 15- and 30-wt% glass-filled grades of poly(butylene terephthalate); and 58% in a 40-wt% glass-filled polyamide 6,6.     

Scale-up laws in heated tool butt welding of HDPE and PP

In order to achieve high fatigue strengths in heated-tool butt welds in plastic pipes used in gas and water supply lines, it is essential that optimum welding parameters be selected. In this paper, the different process phases are described by means of dimensionless characteristic parameters that have been obtained by applying similarity principles to heated-tool butt welding. On the basis of strength studies conducted on welded Joints, it is shown that the best weld quality is attained when the welding parameters are selected such that identical sheaf deformations result in the joint zones of small and large pipes. Laws for scaling data from small-pipe to large-pipe welds are then based on the values of these nondimensional numbers.     

Experiments on the induction welding of thermoplastics

In induction welding of thermoplastics, induction heating of a gasket, made of a ferromagnetic‐powder‐filled bonding material and placed at the interface of thermoplastic parts to be joined, is used to melt the interface; subsequent solidification of the melt results in a weld. Tensile tests on induction butt‐welds of polycarbonate (PC), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and polypropylene (PP) are used to characterize achievable weld strengths, and microscopy is used to correlate weld strength with the morphology of failure surfaces. In PC, PBT, and PP relative weld strengths as high as 48%, 43%, and 55% of the respective strengths of PC, PBT, and PP have been demonstrated. Relative weld strengths on the order of 20% have been demonstrated in PC‐to‐PBT welds.     

The hot-tool and vibration welding of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene

Thermoplastic window frames are made by hot-tool welding mitered, extruded profiles. The effects of weld process conditions on the strengths of hot-tool butt joints are investigated for a grade of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene that was specially developed for window-frame applications. Vibration-weld strength data, obtained on a research machine in which all the process variables can be independently controlled, are used to benchmark strengths of hot-tool welds made on a commercial welding machine. Process differences between hot-tool butt welding and the hot-tool welding of mitered, extruded profiles are discussed.     

Fatigue strength of vibration welded thermoplastic butt joints

Fatigue data are presented for the strengths of 120-Hz vibration-welded butt joints of four resins: the three amorphous polymers polycarbonate (PC), polyetherimide (PEI), and modified polyphenylene oxide; and the semicrystalline polymer poly(butylene terephthalate). Data are also presented for the fatigue strength of 250-Hz vibration welds of the high-temperature polymer PEI. For all the welds, fatigue strength was evaluated through 10-Hz, tension-tension, load-controlled tests at an R value (ratio of minimum stress) of 0.1. Surprisingly, for all the stress levels studied, none of the PC test specimens failed at the welds, indicating that the fatigue strength of PC welds equals that of the base resin. This is not true of the other three resins, except at relatively low stress levels. For each of the four resins, macrographs are used to highlight the differences between the failure surfaces of monolithic specimens and specimens that failed at the welds.     

Welding of thermoplastics reinforced with random glass mat

Thermoplastics reinforced with random glass mat have high strength and stiffness; the fibers dominate the mechanical behavior of these composites. The results of this investigation have shown that fibers are ineffective for reinforcing hot-tool and vibration welded butt welds. The maximum weld strengths attained with GMT are comparable to the strengths of good welds of the unfilled material. The optimum hot-tool welding parameters for the reinforced materials are different from those for the unfilled material. Unfilled polypropylene is easier to weld than unfilled polyamide. This characteristic is also true of the reinforced materials. In vibration welding, high welding pressures and high amplitudes result in lower mechanical properties. The optimum penetration depends on the fiber content of the bulk material. This penetration dependence is different from that for unfilled thermoplastic, for which the mechanical properties are independent of the penetration once a steady state has been attained.     

Effects of welding procedures on mechanical and morphological properties of hot gas butt welded PE,PP, and PVC sheets

Mechanical and morphological properties of hot gas butt welds on polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets for four different procedures, which are single and double V‐welds with and without a welding shoe, were investigated. Besides, weldabilities of base materials were evaluated by rheological measurements. These revealed that weldabilities of PE and PP sheets were better than that of PVC. Welding energy (E_w), which is transferred onto weld surfaces, was calculated to evaluate weld quality. The results of tensile, impact, and bending tests indicated that the weld strengths of PVC sheets were lower than those of PE and PP sheets. When the welding shoe was used, weld strength increased significantly for each material because of the presence of sufficient welding pressure and the effective heating on surfaces. The best results were attained for the double V‐welds with the welding shoe. Morphology of welded regions was evaluated by polarized light, stereo, and scanning electron microscopy. Polarized light microscopy studies indicated that the heat‐affected zone (HAZ) consisted of welding rod core, molten zone, and deformed spherulitic zone, and the welding interface was indistinguishable from the base material when the welding pressure was enough. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

The joining of biaxially oriented polyethylene pipes

Die-drawing techniques recently developed at Leeds University make it possible to produce oriented polymer tubes with both axial draw and hoopwise expansion. These products have increased axial stiffness, improved barrier properties, and excellent resistance to chemical reagents. Normally mechanical methods are used to join such tubes in order to preserve their orientation: however we show that electrofusion techniques produce joints of strengths such that in tensile tests, failure always occurs in the fittings, not at the joint interfaces. Optical and electron microscopy reveal different zones in the welds and indicate that only 20 percent of the wall thickness is affected by the electrofusion process. The pipe studied was biaxially drawn medium density polyethylene of outside diameter 63 mm with draw ratios of 4 in the axial direction and 2, inner hoop. Optimum welding conditions were determined using socket and saddle electrofusion fittings. The joints did not fail in a standard crush test. Careful control of welding parameters is essential in butt fusion welding when the maximum weld strength exceeds that of the undrawn polymer.     

Experimental study on gap bridging in contour laser transmission welding of polycarbonate and polyamide

Laser transmission welding (LTW) is a technique for joining thermoplastics. During contour LTW, any gaps or spaces between the two parts along the weld seam may prevent a weld from forming. This work presents an experimental study on the effects of material property (carbon black level, glass fibers, and crystallinity), process parameters (laser scan power and scan speed), and weld gap thickness on the strength and microstructure of contour welds made of polycarbonate (PC), polyamide 6 (PA6), and PA6 reinforced with 30% glass fiber. Lap specimens, with weld lines parallel to the load direction during mechanical testing, were used to assess the weld shear strength. The results indicated that low concentrations of laser absorbing pigment accompanied by high laser power improve gap bridging. The study also indicated that a novel noncontact test method can be used to search for the optimized process parameters for gap bridging. The maximum gaps bridged were 0.2, 0.4, and 0.25 mm for PC, PA6, and reinforced polyamide 6, respectively. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Vibration welding of nylon 6 to nylon 66

Vibration welding of dissimilar nylons is a promising technique for assembling complex components made of different polymers. The effects of pressure and meltdown on the tensile strength of nylon 6 (PA 6) to nylon 66 (PA 66) vibration welds were determined in this study using an experimental design and three weld geometries. Weld strengths were generally improved by increasing meltdown and decreasing weld pressure. The weld strength was also shown to vary with the position of the lower melting material for T‐welds. Using differential scanning calorimentry and fracture surface analyses, it is concluded that for all geometries, higher weld strengths can be achieved when both materials are melted. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:760–771, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Joining laser-sintered with injection-molded parts made of PA12 using infrared welding

Laser-sintering offers the possibility to produce complex and individualized components cost-effectively. To fully exploit the advantages of laser-sintering in assemblies with mass-produced components, high-performance joining processes like welding are necessary. Thus, a cost-effective customization of products can be enabled, which allows to follow the increasing trend of individualization. Infrared welding, in particular, can also be suitable for complex laser-sintered parts due to the reduced transverse forces during joining, compared to other welding processes. The investigations show that high strength between PA12 laser-sintered and injection-molded components can be achieved by infrared welding. The bond strength is mainly influenced by the welding parameters. Especially a low weld pressure leads to high achievable strengths and failure outside the weld seam. Joints between laser-sintered parts and glass fiber reinforced injection-molded components demonstrate the transferability of the obtained knowledge. The residual melt layer thickness of the joint decreases with increasing weld pressure, as the morphological characterization shows. Besides, the typical morphological seam structure can be seen on the side of the injection-molded component. In the area of the laser-sintered components, a deviating morphological structure can be observed. Distinctive flow lines can be observed, spherulitic structures can only partially be seen as well as deformed spherulites.     

The vibration and hot‐tool welding of polyamides

The weldabilities of polyamide 6 (PA‐6), polyamide 6,6 (PA‐6,6), 33 wt% glass‐filled PA‐6,6 (33‐GF‐PA‐6,6), and amorphous polyamide (PA‐A) are assessed through 120 Hz vibration welds. Weld strengths equal to those of the base resins can easily be obtained in vibration welds of both undried and dried PA‐6 and PA‐6,6. Relative weld strengths in the range of 54–57% are demonstrated for 120 Hz welds of 33‐GF‐PA‐6.6. Relative weld strengths in the range of 90–97% are demonstrated for dried PA‐A. The highest relative weld strengths obtained in hot‐tool welds of undried and dried PA‐6,6 are only 57% and 54% respectively.     

The impact strength of butt welded vibration welds related to microstructure and welding history

A study has been made of vibration butt welds between plaques of polypropylene. The quality of the welds, as determined by impact tests, has been examined as a function of the welding variables: pressure and vibration amplitude. In addition, the microstructure of the welds has also been examined, classified, and correlated with the welding variables and weld quality. Penetration as a function of time shows three distinct regimes and It is shown that the impact strength of the welds is independent of time once the third regime is reached. The time required to reach the third regime decreases as pressure or amplitude increases and is more sensitive to amplitude of vibration than to pressure. The highest quality welds were produced at low pressure and low amplitude with corresponding long times to reach regime three and exhibited a unique, readily identifiable microstructure.     

Vibration welding of thermoplastics. Part II: Analysis of the welding process

The vibration welding process for thermoplastics is known to consist of four phases: (1) initial heating of the interface to the melting temperature by Coulomb friction; (2) unsteady melting and flow in the lateral direction; (3) steady-state flow; and (4) unsteady flow and solidification of the film after the vibratory motion is stopped. Simple analytical models are developed for the first three phases. These models are used for estimating the molten film thickness, the size of the heat affected zone, and the weld time as functions of the weld parameters: the amplitude and frequency of the weld motion, and the weld pressure. The steady-state film thickness and the heat-affected zone are shown to be very small.     

Influence of radiation cross‐linking on fiber orientation in vibration welds of Polyamide 66

A conventional vibration welding process of fiber‐reinforced Polyamide 66 is characterized by a continuous melt flow in the quasi‐steady phase. This squeeze flow leads to a disadvantageous fiber reorientation in the weld zone. The fibers are oriented parallel to the melt flow and thus perpendicular to the common stress direction. This causes relatively low weld strength compared to the strength of the base material. Radiation crosslinking fiber‐reinforced Polyamide 66 with electron beams influences the material characteristics. As a consequence, the resulting energy balance during vibration welding is changed and the squeeze flow is impeded, thus averting the fiber reorientation in the weld seam. The scope of this article is to demonstrate the influence of radiation crosslinking on fiber orientation in vibration welds. Mechanical, calorimetric, rheological, scanning electron microscope, and light microscope investigations serve to highlight the influence of radiation crosslinking on the vibration welds of fiber‐reinforced Polyamide 66. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:489–495, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Strength of glass-filled modified polyphenylene oxide vibration-welded butt joints

The strengths of glass-filled modified polyphenylene oxide (GF-MPPO) welds relative to the strengths of GF-MPPO are shown to depend on specimen thickness. (Modified polyphenylene oxide is a blend of poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and high-impact polystyrene.) Relative strengths on the order of 70 and 87 percent can be achieved in 6.1 and 3.18-mm-thick specimens, respectively. Welds of GF-MPPO to modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO) can easily attain the strength of MPPO, the weaker of the two materials. In contrast to MPPO, in which weld strength decreases with increased weld pressure, the strengths of GF-MPPO to GF-MPPO welds and GF-MPPO to MPPO welds, are not affected by weld pressure.     

Hot‐tool and vibration welding of poly(vinyl chloride)

The weldability of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is assessed through hot‐tool and 120‐Hz vibration welds. Equivalent strengths have been demonstrated for welds made by both of these welding techniques. For two grades of PVC, relative weld strengths of 85 and 97%, with corresponding failure strains of about 2.5 and 3.3%, respectively, have been demonstrated.