System and method for direct infrared (IR) laser welding
AssigneeSogefi Engine Systems USA, Inc.
InventorsStephen Thompson, Yannis Maudet, Nuno Demetrio Soeiro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of welding at least two plastic components together is disclosed. The two plastic components are welded together at respective joining surfaces. The method comprises directing at least one infrared (IR) laser beam along the joining surfaces of the at least two plastic components. The IR laser beam heats the joining surfaces of the at least two plastic components to a welding temperature. The method also includes clamping the at least two plastic components together at the joining surfaces to create a weld.
Claims12
A method of welding at least two plastic components together, wherein the at least two plastic components are welded together at respective joining surfaces, wherein the at least two plastic components have differing geometries relative to each other, the method comprising:
- repeatedly scanning a first infrared (IR) laser beam across one of the joining surfaces and a second IR laser beam across another of the joining surfaces, of the at least two plastic components, wherein the IR laser beams heat each of the joining surfaces of the at least two plastic components to a welding temperature at about the same time;
- adjusting at least one welding parameter of at least one of the first and the second IR laser beams to accommodate the differing geometries of the at least two plastic components;
- and
- clamping the at least two plastic components together at the joining surfaces to create a weld;
- wherein the at least one welding parameter includes at least one of a travel speed of at least one of the first and the second IR laser beams, a scanning frequency of at least one of the first and the second IR laser beams, or a duration at which at least one of the first and the second IR laser beams heats the at least one of the plastic components;
- and
- wherein the repeatedly scanning comprises repeatedly scanning at least one of the first and the second IR laser beams across the joining surface areas at a rate of about ten to about two hundred passes per second.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.