Welding is commonly associated with iron, so if you’re confused about plastic welding, we totally understand. According to popular dictionaries, “ the art of welding involves using heat to join different parts of a particular material together.” There’s no specification of the type of material to be joined; the key thing to note in this definition is ‘heat.’ Plastic welding is no different – two materials are joined together using heat, but the material is specifically plastic this time.
The pressure from heating and cooling the plastic material creates a molecular bond between them, and this bond is unarguably stronger than fusing with adhesives. It’s not news that plastic welding is used in construction, electronics, structural engineering, automotive, medicine, and plumbing industries, among others. Many techniques are used in plastic welding, but in this article, we will cover only the most popular ones and the features that give them an edge.
Extrusion Welding
Extrusion welding is quite popular in the marine, construction, and automotive industries. Extrusion cannot be completed without an extrusion welder- a specialized machine explicitly built to melt welding rods. The molten welding rod is then poured on the surface of the plastic joints.
Advantages of Extrusion Welding
- Very Versatile
- Cost-effective
- More durable
Ultrasonic Welding
Ultrasonic welding is a “unique plastic welding process that generates heat with vibrations.” It involves the use of high-frequency vibrations to create a high temperature- high enough to melt two plastic polymers and create a strong bond between them.
Advantages of Ultrasonic Welding
- Shorter turnaround time
- Safer to use because there’s no direct heat
- Premium quality welded joints.
Hot Air Welding
Hot air welding is another simple yet highly effective plastic welding technique. For this technique, a portable welding gun is used to shoot hot air onto the surface of two plastic materials. The result is a strong- mostly unbreakable bond. They are primarily used to make water tanks.
Advantages of Hot Air Welding
- This can be achieved with more portable equipment
- Very Precise
- Creates strong and durable bonds
Every plastic welding technique has its own specific equipment, all of which require different levels of expertise. So, before you decide on the technique to use, consider the equipment you would need and what you know about it.