As car designs become more compact and complex, manufacturers increasingly rely on ultrasonic welding solutions to assemble ...

The last two decades have seen substantial improvements in ultrasonic plastic-welding machines. Bench-top models feature proportional-valve controls, linear encoders, line-voltage regulation, internal ...

Figure 1. Various test samples that have been laser welded in an applications lab (a) and a low-density polyethylene fluid container welded with a diode laser system (b). Direct welding of plastics is ...

Industrial lasers are used to process engineering plastics across many markets. Some examples of the common processes are shown in Figure 1, including laser marking, cutting, and welding.

Laser plastic welding has grown in popularity for medical applications because it reliably joins a wide range of materials, including dissimilar materials. At the same time, the process uses no ...

Making vehicle structures out of a combination of metals and plastics could make them dramatically lighter, stronger, safer and more environmentally friendly than the all-steel or all-aluminum ...

Chrome bumpers made a quick exit from the automotive scene in the late 1980s. In their place are elaborate but flimsy plastic covers hiding stamped steel impact beams—with a swath of Styrofoam ...