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The TWIST® method enables the highest process speed, flexibility and strength for the laser welding of plastics

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25.08.2009

The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT will be presenting an innovative and cost-efficient plant concept for the laser welding of plastics at this year's international trade fair for plastics processing, Fakuma. In addition, the institute will exhibit new processes to bond plastics with metal and to laser weld transparent plastics.

Bonding metal to plastic with a laser-structured metallic surface and subsequent extrusion.
Fraunhofer ILT.



A TWIST®-welded microfluidics component, minimal canal width < 50 µm.
Fraunhofer ILT.

At Stand 4211 in Hall 4 of Fakuma (October 13 - 17, 2009, Messe Friedrichshafen), the Fraunhofer ILT will be presenting a novel, compact and industry-ready plant concept to laser weld plastics using fiber lasers.

Thanks to the TWIST® radiation concept, a quick, temporal and localized beam modulation forms the basis for this new laser method. Fraunhofer ILT's researchers in Aachen have developed and qualified TWIST® - "Transmission Welding by an Incremental Scanning Technique" - an innovative process to weld plastics.

When compared to standardized laser plastic welding plants, this new concept significantly reduces investment costs as well as plant size, and is nearly maintenance-free. Furthermore, the TWIST® plant concept is characterized by its higher process speed and flexibility when structuring welding contours, as compared to conventional joining methods. Hence, it is particularly suitable for small and medium series, which require quick retooling. By using new wave lengths in combination with the TWIST® concept, operators are now able to weld transparent components together without an infrared absorber and at high speeds.

To bond metal with commercially available plastics, the Fraunhofer ILT has developed a laser-supported joining process that can dispense with using additional material. A suitable structuring of the metal's surface at high speed allows form fit joints to be attained above the bonds with high strength.

Contact person at the Fraunhofer ILT
Our experts would be glad to answer any questions you may have:

Dipl.-Ing. Andrei Lucian Boglea
Department of Micro Technology
Telephone +49 241 8906-217
andrei.boglea@ilt.fraunhofer.de

Dipl.-Ing. Andreas Roesner
Department of Micro Technology
Telephone +49 241 8906-158
andreas.roesner@ilt.fraunhofer.de

Dr.-Ing. Arnold Gillner
Head of the Department of Micro Technology
Telephone +49 241 8906-148
arnold.gillner@ilt.fraunhofer.de

Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT
Steinbachstraße 15
52074 Aachen
Telephone +49 241 8906-0
Fax. +49 241 8906-121

Axel Bauer | Source: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft
Further information: www.ilt.fraunhofer.de
www.ilt.fraunhofer.de/eng/100031.html

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