Apparatus and method for establishing or for separating a connection having material continuity or having material continuity and shape matching of at least one metal or ceramic component and of a component formed from or by a thermoplastic polymer

An apparatus for establishing or separating a connection having material continuity between a thermoplastic component having softening and decomposition temperatures and at least one metal component, the apparatus comprising:

• a counterholder,
• a plunger opposing the counterholder such that the at least one metal component can be pressed there between in a joining region,
• a sensor for taking spatially resolved temperature measurements within the joining region, and
• a heating device present, or acting, at the plunger, at the counterholder, or at each of the plunger and the counterholder, respectively, wherein the heating device is capable of achieving a homogeneous temperature field within the joining region by taking into account the spatially resolved temperature measurements and adjusting the heating temperature accordingly and heating the at least one metal component within the joining region up to above the softening temperature, and below the decomposition temperature, of the thermoplastic component,
• wherein the heating device is a laser beam source adjustable to focus a laser beam within the joining region by at least one of:
• (i) the laser beam source being configured to move the laser beam in response to the spatially resolved temperature measurements to create the homogeneous temperature field, or
• (ii) the laser beam having an adjustable focus area wherein the size of the focus area is controllable based on the spatially resolved temperature measurements to create the homogeneous temperature field.