Welding
C-Hawk offers a wide range of plastic welding techniques to meet your project’s needs.
- Ultrasonic Welding – Joins thermoplastics made of dissimilar materials by using heat generated from high-frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations. The process is automated, is extremely fast, and produces a strong solid-state joint. Ultrasonic welding is accomplished by converting high-frequency electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical motion, which, along with applied force, creates frictional heat at the plastic components’ mating surfaces (joint area). This enables the plastic material to melt and form a molecular bond between the parts. Once the melted plastic has solidified, the clamping force is removed and the horn retracted. The two plastic parts are now joined as if molded together and are removed from the fixture as one part.
- Hot Gas Welding – Works on most thermoplastics, joining like components together in permanent structures where adhesives or mechanical fasteners would be impractical, impossible, or even prohibited. The process is not size limited and adds versatility to your product development. Materials commonly hot-gas welded are PVDF, halar (ECTFE), PVC, PFA, polypropylene, and CPVC.
- Fusion Welding – Also known as hot-plate welding, fusion welding joins two pieces of similar materials by melting them together. Melt squeeze must be allowed for when using this process, but our technical expertise can help you in the design stage. This is an excellent welding process for multi-channel manifolds made from thermoplastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, PVDF, acrylic, polycarbonate, and other weldable materials.
- Socket Welding – A socket weld is used when you need high leakage integrity and great structural strength. With this welding method, a pipe is inserted into a recessed area of a valve, fitting or flange.
- Butt Joint Welding – Bonding two same materials that are nearly parallel but don’t overlap, this process involves heating the ends of two pieces of material –two pieces of pipe or two flat sheets – to just over their melting point and joining them together under pressure to form a bond about 90% as strong as the material itself. Typical materials are PVDF, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and ABS.