With increasing use of plastics in automotive, electrical, medical and industrial markets, precise, fast, flexible and clean joining technique of the highest quality standard is required.
Laser welding is one method of joining plastic parts that offers a precise weld with a precise energy input, lower thermal delay, high weld strengths and welding of three-dimensional geometries in a single process step. With more and more miniaturization of components and their increasingly complex geometries, a high quality weld seam can be achieved by a relative easy laser welding process as compared to conventional joining techniques.
To join two parts by a laser welding process, one of them has to be laser transparent and the other laser absorbing. The laser transparent part can be even black or colored, but not carrying minerals.
Picture with an infrared camera
Picture with a standard camera
Further, AKRO-PLASTIC measures the laser transparency with a laser having a 980 nm wavelength during the production (LPKF TMG 3) at regular intervals and states the laser transparency value on the certificate of analysis (COA) of its laser transparent compounds.
Laser transparent materials
AKRO-PLASTIC has developed a range of compounds based on PA 6, PA 6.6 and PA 6.12, unreinforced and reinforced with upto 60% glass fibers, black or coloured and even impact modified, that are transparent to laser and especially suitable for applications where two plastic parts are to be joined by laser welding process. Following materials are transparent to laser beam and can be easily identified by “LT” in the grade Name:
Laser Transparent + Long Glass Fibre Stabilized with Our Excellent XTC Technology for Long Term Use Above 200°C
AKRO-PLASTIC developed an innovative material that is laser transparent and long-glass-fibre-reinforced:
AKROMID® C28 LGF 40 6 XTC LT schwarz (7176)
PA6.6/6 with 40% long glass fibers can withstand the challenge of laser welding and dynamic tests with pressurization and a peak temperature of up to 220°C. With a modulus of elasticity of 14.500 MPa and >27% laser transparency, it is very well suited for sophisticated housing applications in the automotive sector.
Masterbatches
AF Carbon® PA 950575 LT black
AF Color® PA 301270 LT red
AF Color® PA 400296 LT purple
AF Color® PA 501496 LT blue
AF Color® PA 601128 LT green
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