Welding has been a boon to civilisation. What comes to mind when we talk about welding is metal welding. Plastic welding also plays an essential role in our everyday lives. Plastic welding is helping various industries from packaging to automotives, being a great fusing method, adding durability and strength without any additional substance.
What is Plastic Welding?
Plastic welding, unlike metal welding, uses thermoplastics to join plastics together. The process of thermoplastics uses heat to soften the part, and with the right pressure, the two parts are joined. When it cools down, you get a solid and continuous bond that is many times stronger and durable than the earlier version. Unlike traditional forms of joining, it does not rely on external agents for bonding but uses its own elements to join together.
Types of Plastic Welding
- Hot Air Welding
In this type of plastic welding, a jet of soft, hot air is applied to the areas where welding is required.
- Ultrasonic Welding
In ultrasonic welding, as the name suggests, a high-frequency vibration is used to create heat at the joints, helping the plastics to join within the blink of an eye.
- Extrusion Welding
Extrusion welding is a type of plastic welding used when joining thicker plastics is required. The extruded molten plastics are used in the joint to join and create a strong bond.
- Laser Welding
Another type of plastic welding is laser welding. In this method, not hot air, ultrasound or extrusion is used, but a laser is applied for finishing and accuracy..
Benefits of Plastic Welding
Plastic welding has been in the news because of its extraordinary power, being a transformative technique with its ultimate use cases. Let’s look at some of its benefits:
- Creates strong joints that last longer than other adhesives.
- Not expensive when compared to other adhesives and fasteners
- It is an eco-friendly technique as it creates minimal pollution and waste.
Summary
Plastic welding is one of the most preferred methods used across industries for joining. It is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and it doesn’t weaken, but adds strength to the material.
